The Marauding Five Year Seven
by bunny chan
Summary: Several questions popped up, and Voldemort gets serious. REALLY serious. Of course, no one said that there's no chance of anyone thinking... sorta. you don't get it in package with magic, most of the time. MPP/L/J
1. Hello Responsibilities!

Six earlier ones. Short-cut: sometime in year 4, but best is if you'd read all. It'll be easier to understand ^_^

Disclaimer: To whomever in question, the Marauders, Hogwarts, all don't belong to bunny chan. In fact, the only thing she owns is just the Marauders [uhm, their personality, at least], Loopy Village [which she doubts exist], minor characters and Adele Varens ^_^ those mage stuff are my conjurations, so don't you DARE mess with them!

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**The Marauding Five : Year Seven**

Chapter 1: Hello Responsibilities! 

  Remus sat up in bed, thinking deeply in his own philosophical way. How often is it that one wakes up and suddenly thinks, 'hey, childhood is far from reach and adulthood is just a step ahead'? Pretty rarely, for the five Marauders. No. Rephrase. It's the FIRST time.

  'Argh!' Remus groaned, 'we passed our sixteen already?? I don't believe it! Where's all the sweetness???' As far as the fair-headed boy can remember, none of them had been sweet at all. And they're already seventeen.

  James, the leader of the Marauders, had devised new plans and such to get back at the Slytherins for the Orientation pranks. Nothing so sweet about. Lily refused to acknowledge the stone fact that she's getting married to James directly after their seventh year. The marriage had actually been scheduled by their eccentric parents to be in a week, but somehow, Lily had talk – er, YELLED – that out of them.

  Sirius, on the other hand, is just as nutcase as ever, annoying Lily and James all the time. Adele… well, Adele is certainly the sanest of them all, after Remus.

  Not one of them was sweet. It's amazing that Santa is still handing them presents every Christmas.

  'Section B ready??? Section A all set up, over!' Remus heard James's alto voice called. Two seconds later, a window slammed open.

  'Aye, aye, capt'n! Section B awake and up! Complete check-ups!' Lily called. 'How goes Section C?'

  Section C didn't reply after a minute. Remus wondered bluntly who Section C was… he was Section D, right?? Anyway, he got his job done already.

  'Oy, Remus! Are you awake _yet_??????' James demanded. Remus jumped. C! HIM!!!

  Remus opened his window sheepishly. 'Er, yeah, sorry. I'm ready. Er, Section D, how—'

  'YES!!!!!!!' and over enthusiastic Sirius yelled.

  'I'm all set up, too!' Adele chirruped from her window. Adeline Varens waved behind her twin sister, indicating that Adele's telling the truth. The girl tended to forget things at some times.

  'Right! We'll bring all the stuff to the normal place!' James ordered with authority. With that, all five windows slammed shut in unison.

**

  'Sorry, waylaid,' Lily panted, holding her owl, Lotus in her right hand. James, Sirius, Remus held theirs; Jackpot, Soot and Radish. Adele was holding her pet Yumi, Castria.

  'Waylaid? By whom?' Sirius inquired curiously.

  'Gram, mum, dad… good thing Petunia's still asleep! I don't want to know what use SHE has for Lotus!' Lily sighed. 'I mean, seriously, how many people in a house need an owl at the same time?? I tell you, they're PURPOSELY doing it! Just because I refuse to have a wedding with James! I'm surprised '

  The Evans are giving Lily a hard time for not wanting to marry James. Countless of yells have been heard daily ever since Lily returned from Hogwarts. Now the parents-daughter relationship was shaky and looked quite ready to fall into pieces with a drop of rain.

  'Well, all of them,' Adele suggested. 'You're here with Lotus though, and that's all that matters!!!'

  'Are you implying that my owl is _all that matters_ here?' Lily glared.

  'Er, no! Of course not! I mean, … oh my…'

  'Let's just get over with it,' James said. He plucked a flower from the village's centre garden (the ONLY garden in Loopy Village anyway) and made Jackpot eat it. The other four followed his example. Curious joggers were frowning disapprovingly at them, judging it as Animal Cruelty.

  'How dare you bring your owls to the public!' someone hissed suddenly behind the Marauders, who were now ready to cast a spell on their owls to see if their plan had worked. 'Mistreat them and poison them with plants! And what are you doing, planning to do magic with your wands? DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS??'

  The five Marauders turned to face Allan Rittardo, father to Elley Rittardo, who is cousin to Tally Chapman, making him Tally's uncle. The five teens blinked at him innocently, making their wand vanish with a simple wave of will. They smiled sweetly.

  'Good morning!' they greeted cheerfully.

  'Lovely day, isn't it?' Lily added thoughtfully.

  'No, not at all,' the burly man growled. 'Where are your wands? Did you use an invisibility bewitchment?'

  'Hm, is there such thing?' Sirius pondered innocently. Perhaps _too_ innocently, for Allan was suspecting them even more. 'Besides,' Sirius went on lazily, 'what wands?'

  'Don't know, Mr.Rittardo,' Adele said. 'After all, my Yu – ah! Hamster! – was taking a walk for fresh air.' She added thoughtfully to her Yumi, 'right Castria?' Castria wisely looked dumb.

  'Don't try to change the subject,' Allan growled again. 'Misusing magic again, eh? I know your sort.'

  'Really? How'd you know?' James asked in mock shock.

  'Don't pretend, Potter! I know you rogues far too well!' the man yelled. 'You have been in the hands of the Ministry of Magic – and MINE – for a long time already!'

  'Yours?'

  'I'm of the spell reversal squad team,' he added venomously. 'It's because of your pests that Loopy Village needs a special Spell Reversie here—and that's me.'

  'Well,' Lily said slowly, 'Six years isn't eternity. Yet. You'll have to add another hundred of years.'

  'Never _ever_ try magic when you're out of school!' he hissed. 'Or I will personally confiscate your wand! And have you expelled out of Hogwarts!'

  'We doubt the latter would happen,' Sirius said silkily. 'We're the top students. Besides, you can't turn out an untrained wizard out.'

  'As for the wand…' Remus said thoughtfully. They pondered for a while and then shrugged it off casually. That annoyed Allan even more.

  'That's not much of difference,' James said reasonably.

  'As philosopher Prokt say about magic and wands: wands are just a symbol of connecting magic,' Remus said brightly. 'Hey, I bet that if we'd practise magic _without_ our wands, we might be able to do magic with our bare hands!!!'

  'Tempting, tempting,' Adele grinned. Lily didn't say anything. There was a sudden pain in her head and she was trying to calm it off. It was surprisingly pain and it affected her breathing for a short moment.

  'Don't be foolish!' Allan yelled. He lowered down and pushed the Marauders to a more secluded area. 'Raw magic should NOT be tried at all costs! Even He-Who-Must-Not-Be—'

  'It's Voldemort,' Lily interrupted, the pain slightly showing on her calm face. 'And he _can_ be name. He _is_ named. And why not?'

  'Silence, Evans!'

  'But why?' Lily countered eagerly. 'There's no crime to talking. Look, even YOU are talking, for crying out loud!'

  'Shut up, girl! I've heard a lot about you!'

  'Really? We're all so honoured!' James gushed, turning to his friends, who in turn gushed the same point in many other sentences. Allan was losing his patience fast. He pulled out his wand and waved it.

  The Marauders were silenced, by force – or magic – of course. He rummaged their jacket pockets for their wands and took them.

  'Now, if you would all listen,' he said, smiling broadly (something uncommon) that he had been smart to take their wands and make these unruly rebellious teenagers listen, 'raw magic practise is totally not allowed and very unheard of! Do not try it.' He glared as Remus tried to open his mouth. 'Don't try talking, Lupin.'

  Lily fumed as Allan went on lecturing about rubbish and whatnots that she couldn't bother to care about when she's still very much ignorant to all those. She cast a glance at her friends. Hm, Remus seem to have something interesting on his mind… Lily smirked and sent Lotus to tap on Remus's shoulder.

  After a number of waves, owl flight and aura glowing from Lily, James and Adele, and Sirius using telepathic connection with the owls, all five beamed broadly.

  The Marauders are never prisoners. Never. …Not even when Voldemort got them in the tower last year. Hey, there weren't any bars! And they **escaped**. More of, climbed out of the invitingly unlocked window. Allan was still oblivious to them, because he had his back turned to them, rattling off the list about why raw magic is non-existent.

  'Well,' Remus said, 'I thought everything was worth a try. And if it's unheard of, how come there's a law to not allow it?? Then why's there a "Why Raw Magic Is Non-Existent" at all?? That means it IS heard of. And it DOES exist. Any idiot with such a theory could grasp it like this,' and he snapped his fingers triumphantly.

  Allan blinked. Then he turned to them, frowning angrily. He stared at the wands that are still in his hand, five in total. So how on earth did Lupin talk anyway??

  'May we have out wands back, please?' Adele said sweetly. 'We'll be late for our breakfast. If you hadn't guessed yet, it's ten o' clock already.' Dumbstruck, Allan handed their wands over. He can't not. After all, it's THEIR wands. The five teenagers grinned at him, bowed Marauders-styled at him before marching off, the pets on their shoulders.

  After what seemed like a safe distance, all of them burst out laughing like a pack of hyenas.

  'HIS FACE!!!!'

  'Now I _really_ don't blame Elley for being such a good girl at home!'

  'Haha! Ha! Did you see him??

  'Didn't expect us to use "Raw magic" I think!'

  'Expect? He doesn't even KNOW, Lily!'

  'We're geniuses! Utterly intelligent!!!'

  Of course the four that freed the strong silencing charm had used their magic to do so. There was no other way. Black magic – Adele had used it to break the effects of silence – the Blue Magic – James, to allow them to move because a body-bind was placed – and White Magic – for protecting them from further charms. Sirius had told the owls who had eaten the certain flowers to free them COMPLETELY from the spells.

  What the Marauders don't know was that another magic had been at work, after being dormant for so long.

  Sirius sighed. 'The uses of owls… and we only use them for mail! What a great pity.'

  'I guess our experiment to make the owls sing the letter's contents fail then,' Adele said. In her pocket, Castria breathed a sigh of relief. She had to use HER fur to rub at those owls in that spell that they were about to do, and the Yumi was quite sure that the owls would eat her first.

  'Hey!' Tally Chapman called from across the road. The Marauders turned to wave at her. 'Why the laugh?'

  'We just got lectured,' Lily sniggered.

  'By whom?'

  'Your uncle Allan.'

  'You should really see his face,' Adele added. 'It looked like some cooked radish!'

  Tally giggled. 'Hang on, I'll come over! Can't yell all the time.' The blonde girl looked left, then right, then left again before crossing the road. Village roads are usually clear anyway, so it didn't matter much. After all, all modes of transportation (minus wizardry ones) travel at a leisurely speed.

  'Watch out!' Adele yelled suddenly as she spotted a car that turned up out of nowhere. Tally stopped in the middle of the road, wondering what did Adele mean.

  Lily and James flung their right arm upwards in hopes that they can levitate either Tally or the car. Tally froze with shock, just as the car ran over her. There was a piercing shriek that disrupt the calm village air.

  The Marauders stood rigid, aghast. Much quicker than the others', Adele's senses returned to her as her face went from a surprised one to an angry I'm-so-angry-I-can-easily-kill-everyone-with-a-finger expression.

  'You- you stupid goon! This is a VILLAGE, for goodness' sake!!! What's the point of racing here, huh? Where'd you get your bloody license from? You should be SUSPENDED!!!!' Adele screamed madly, waving her arms at the car with unspoken anger. The engine burst into sparks of flames, causing a silent explosion when met with Adele's Black magic. It halted with a sharp jerk that would injure the driver immensely.

  Remus jumped up towards Tally, Lily and Sirius in tow as James and Adele sped off to the car to catch the criminal. Cottage doors burst open as everyone streamed out, shocked.

  Lily hurriedly cast a barrier all around Tally as Sirius and Remus feverishly checked for her pulse—or any sign to show that she's still very much alive.

  The heartbeat was there. Faint and weak, but undeniably there. Sirius magicked a first-aid kit with his wand. Loopy Village has nine-tenth population of magical folk, and the muggles who knew couldn't bother themselves to care. After all, they're all squibs with half of them bearing long wizard heritage. So Loopy Village is a nearly-pure-wizarding-community in Britain after Hogsmeade.

  Adele blasted the door of the car open.

  'What do you think you're up to, mister?? Running over my friend like that and not even stopping to—!' she stopped abruptly.

  'Weird. There's no one here,' James said in puzzlement. 'How did it run, then? Wizards don't use cars… er, or not,' he paused, remembering that his parents use a car, and they're wizards. Wizards _pretending_ to be muggles, for crying out loud. 'But there's no such spell for these sort of things!' he added confidently.

  'I remembered placing a lot of spells around it just now,' Adele growled, angry at not being able to catch the culprit. 'No one could've apparated off, let alone leave this spot!'

  James's eyes trailed to the passenger seat. It was a letter. Addressed to _the Marauders_.

  'WHAT DID YOU DO AGAIN?????' Rose Evans screeched.

  'Nothing!' Lily retorted simply.

  'LET ME IN, LILY!'

  Lily glared. 'If you're that great, mum, go ahead,' Lily said calmly, her voice holding an edge of somewhat sinister confidence to it. Rose pushed herself against the invisible barrier. Nothing.

  'LILY EVANS!!!'

  'Yes, that's my name,' Lily said, turning a sweet smile at her mother, enveloping Tally in a white light as Remus and Sirius proceeded to the first-aids.

  '_I forbid you to use your you-know-what on her, Lily!_'

  'It's not it,' Lily replied. 'It's called magic, mum. Didn't you know? I thought you did!'

  The onlookers were beginning to sense that Lily and her family were at rough tides at the moment. After all, Lily was always polite to her parents. 

  'TALLY!!!!' Allan cried out, pushing his way past the curious village folk, which had formed a human body around the round spot. 'Tally!!!'

  'She'll be alright. Hopefully,' Remus called out to him. He turned back to his job. 'SIRIUS! I said give her a _shock,_ not give her a _shot_!!! Don't use it to give her a jab!'

  'Oops,' Sirius said sheepishly.

  'You could've killed her!' the other boy added coldly. 'Move off, I'll handle her.'

  'It's not my fault you speak in low tones!'

  'You two should stop arguing and maybe try your best to save her quick,' Lily said. 'I can't hold this on forever you know. I _do_ have limits!'

  'What would Tally say about that,' Sirius commented dryly.

  'LILY!!!!' Rose Evans shrieked again as the five (invisible-to-others-but-not-to-the-Marauders-and-Rose) Maggles tried their best to hold her back.

"She just have to make life-saving harder, doesn't she?" Lily Trenna muttered.

"She ALWAYS makes things harder," Adele Green corrected, rolling her eyes.

"Rose, just hold it, would ya??" James Chore grimaced as Remus Pepper and Sirius Brad pulled her.

"I just remembered why I hate her so much," Brad stated.

"Glad for you," Pepper puffed. 

"Now we'd better concentrate on stopping her from interrupting them saving Chapman's life!" Green remarked.

  'How's Tally?' James called, running into the invisible barrier with Adele. They didn't seem to have any trouble at getting in. Puzzled, Rose rammed her body at the unseen wall again. For a short moment, it seemed as if she had succeeded.

  Boing! Boing! Or …maybe not. She was sent bouncing out.

  'I'm trying to concentrate. Concentrate, Lily, concentrate. Coonceeeentraaaaate!!!!!' Lily murmured to herself. 'Concentrate. Concentrate. Keep it up. Don't fail. I sound dumb. Who cares.'

  'We found something,' Adele stated. 'But at the moment, how is she?'

  'Can be better if we move her away,' Sirius said intelligently, holding a roll of bandage for Remus. The fair-headed boy utterly banned Sirius from touching the first-aid box already.

  'Aye?' James said, raising his brow. He grabbed his owl by the neck and ruffled poor Jackpot's feathers before producing three blue chalks. Jackpot coughed, and gagged, and choked flusteringly.

  'How big is this barrier, Li?'

  'Um, about this and this and this, I think,' Lily said, sparing an arm to hold her long ankle-length hair. James groaned.

  'And what's this "THIS"?' he asked wanly.

  'Er, I don't know. This?'

  James threw his hands up in resignation. He couldn't get sense out of her at the moment. He hadn't lived with her for sixteen years for nothing!

  So with a little 'hmph', he dragged his chalk to draw a small circle around the Marauders and Tally. Lily made the barrier visible to the crowd so that no one would know what's happening ('You should've done that earlier,' Adele said, noticing James's frustrated face).

  In ten seconds, the barrier vanished. So did the five Marauders and the injured Tally Chapman. Only four different owls stood in their position, but they too, sought flight for their respective homes.

**

  'A _hospital_,' Adele exclaimed disgustedly, glaring at the familiar white walls and people in white coats and stethoscopes.

  'Well, yes, it's very obvious, isn't it?' Sirius mused. 'That's always where one ends up in if one gets knocked down by a traffic maniac.'

  'Send her to the emergency room, would you???' Lily called out impatiently at all the nurses and doctors who were staring at them. You don't get visitors – especially teenagers – who appear suddenly out of nowhere. It freaks one's mind out. They froze.

  After all, it IS a muggle hospital…

  'Get. To. Work,' Adele said coldly with a piercing glare. She obviously had the looks to look dangerous. Not often do you see a pale white girl that has ebony black hair and flashing purple eyes. The medics hurried to Tally.

  'Wow,' Remus remarked in amazement, staring at Adele. 'You're even better than Lily AND James!'

  Adele rolled her eyes. 'Thanks. The letter, James,' she reminded. 'Read it. Might be whom the culprit wrote to, or is addressed.'

  James pulled the letter out and tore the envelope off. They were immediately swallowed into pitchblack darkness. The five Marauders clung to one another.

  'James here speaking! Anyone missing?'

  'I'm here…' Adele.

  'Sirius, is that you that's squeezing my arm? Can you _please_ let go of it?? I believe you're suffocating it so much that it's beginning to feel limp, cold and purple. You seriously don't want a taste of honed Red magic!' That would be Remus to you.

  'Sheesh! I thought it was your hand, it was so bony. Now I wish it were your head!' Sirius's annoyed voice replied.

  'What was THAT? This dark thing, I mean, if you don't understand.' Aaaaand Lily.

  'Hm, looks like we're the only ones swallowed.'

  'Maybe this is some other dimension.'

  'SIRIUS! LET GO OF MY ARM!!!!'

  'Chill, would you?? I hate dark places!'

  'Ha ha…'

_Welcome… Marauders… it is really pleasant to speak to your again…_

  '…I should think not!' Lily huffed. 'Thomas Riddle. Huh. What's it this time?'

_This… is your **last** chance… to joining… me… with our wizardry skills, we shall be undefeatable…!_

  'He can't hear us,' Adele concluded. 'It's just the letter speaking.'

_If you will join the Dark Side with me, say **Dunderheads**. If you refuse to join the Dark Side, say **Dunderheads**. You have only two such choices._

  'See? Automated response!' Adele said smugly. 'Hah! Like we're stupid enough to say Dun—' Lily clamped her hand over Adele's mouth. '—mmpf!?'

  'Don't say it,' Lily advised.

  'Oh. Then I won't say whatever he asked me to say,' Adele said triumphantly. 'I'd say… Acid Pop!! Haha! Take THAT!'

  'I'll say that Voldemort's like a vomit-flavoured jelly bean, then,' Sirius said brightly.

  'I think that a Hell-flames-flavoured one would fair better,' Remus suggested. 'If there are any, that is.'

  'And flare our dear Dark Lord's ego? Dear me, no!' James laughed. 'I'll keep to calling him Cockroach Clusters!'

  'Wouldn't Blood Pops do, too?' Lily asked.

  'Well, all of them, then.'

  The letter hesitated. You could hear it doing so. It was obviously not magic-programmed to face these sort of answers.

_If you… do not join… everyone you know… will be in danger… just like your little friend…_ It said finally.

  'That's a threat!!!' Sirius snapped. 'And I'd NEVER join your pathetic circle! EVER!'

  'Bravo Sirius!' his friend cheered as the boy humbly bowed down.

_…your… verdict…_

  'We refuse!' the five yelled in unison. 'So _bleh!!!!_' They stuck their tongues out and made a face into … nothing.

  BOOM! The dark enclosed space shattered into tiny pieces, shaking them violently. And in a blink, they were jolted to the seats at the waiting room.

  'Er?' Lily said stupidly. 'How did we get here?'

  'I don't know,' Remus muttered, thinking hard, just as the doors to the Operation Room was opened.

  'In a stable condition now,' the doctor said shortly in his twiddly voice. 'You her family? Good job. Broke her leg. Will be in wheelchair. Resting. Have a nice day.' With that, he left. The five teens blinked.

  'Huh?!'

  'Well,' James said dubiously, 'I guess we inform her uncle and aunt and Elley, then. Should we call Dan too?'

  'Maybe,' Lily shrugged. Remus stood up and walked towards the door, jingling his pocket for coins to make the calls.

  'TALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Dan Trevor yelled, bursting in. 'Are you here? Are you here? No! ER! AAAAAH!!!!' He was about to dash out again when he paused, seeing the Marauders. 'Hey. What are you folks doing here?'

  'Owb. Mai nbosfe,' Remus moaned painfully, gently pushing the door that slammed his face (and him) into the wall. He suspected a broken nose.

  'We're here because of your beloved Tally,' Sirius stated. 'How did you know that she's here?' Dan stopped to think it.

  'We'll tell you where Tally is if you tell us,' Lily added.

  That sounded quite fair to him. 'We… I, um, odn't know, but I have a weird feeling that she's in this hospital. Or something like that.'

  'Right you are,' Adele said dryly. 'True love, huh? Soul mates? That's incredibly sweet!'

  'What? You don't mean to tell me that she's REALLY wounded?? In HERE?!?!?! Where is she???' Dan demanded, grabbing Adele by her shirt's collar. Adele numbly gulped and pointed at the operation room, where Tally still lay. Dan dashed in. Adele coughed hackingly.

  'That's cool,' James grinned in amusement. 'Now to spy on them! Last I remember, it was hate. Oh boy, what a show… and free tickets, too!' Sirius and Adele seemed interested, while Remus was just busy nursing his poor broken 'nbosfe.'

  'No,' Lily said firmly. 'Leave them alone.' She gripped their wrists tightly (how she did grab three wrists is a mystery). Lily's grip was pain.

  'Fine, fine… whatever you say.'

**

  Lily was almost driven mad by her mother, who had gotten it into her head to start a war against her daughter. First, she was told off for not spending time with James privately. Lily retorted with an intelligent point: 'which mother or father willingly give up their kids just like that??? They're suppose to be VERY protective!'

  Second, was cleanliness. AND tutorials on how to cook, which Lily simply will not hear about. Her point of argument: 'My magic is absolutely superb and I don't like these stupid chores!'

  Next was about not behaving properly. And a whole lot of other things about studies and disciplinary tactics, which Lily have NO interest at all. It went as far as buying her new clothes.

  'LEAVE ME ALONE!!!' Lily would often yell.

  'Don't you dare talk to me like that!' Rose would shriek in reply.

  'Stop it, please!' Gram would cry desperately. And then Lily would stomp off to her room, lock the door with all sorts of spells, envelope her whole private domain with magic, grab her broomstick, and seek her friends for comfort.

  She rattled on all sorts of things to James before she ran out of words. Which was at least twenty minutes later.

  'Calmed?' James said, grinning. 'Good, you can go home now!'

  Lily sulked. 'No, I don't want to meet mum again, not today. And dad just got home, so I might get extra yelling.' James opened his window. 'Are you listening, Prongs? I don't want to!'

  'Well yes, Lily, but my room needs fresh air, don't you think?' James stated cheerfully, pushing his glasses to press his face.

  'Oh.' She gave a string of nervous laughter.

  Just then a little breeze blew in and two owls rolled into James's room.

  'Owls in daylight again,' Lily muttered boringly. 'I thought they were nocturnal! Have they changed sleeping patterns? Stupid animals of dark.'

  'No,' James said, pulling the owls out of his cupboard since they were stuck in there. 'Look! They have letters—for US!'

  'Ah,' Lily said thoughtfully.

  'Hm, let's see…

_Dear Mr.Potter,_

_You are selected as the HeadBoy of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—_'

  'WHAT?!' Lily screeched shrilly, toppling from James's bed. 'You can't be serious!' James ignored her and continued.

'_—by Professor Albus Dumbledore. I have seriously no idea what he has in mind, though I SERIOUSLY disapprove of his choice! You had better show a sense of responsibility whilst you hold that title of yours, Potter!_

_Make sure you check the other letter._

_Deputy Headmistress,_

**_Professor M. McGonagall_****__**

_(Professor Minerva McGonagall)_.'

  James looked up from the letter and grinned broadly at Lily.

  'Wow. Sounds like it's PERSONALLY written, and not just printed over by the years!' Lily mused, giggling comically as she tried to imagine the Gryffindor head's face when she discovered that James will be the next HeadBoy. 'You're HeadBoy! Yay!! That's wicked cool, James!'

  'Check the other letter?' James said, puzzled, holding the other letter. 'It's for you, Lily.'

  'Probably to inform me that I'm fired from being a prefect because you got HeadBoy post,' Lily grinned happily. 'Here it goes. Ahem!

_Dear Miss Evans,_

_You are selected as the HeadGirl—_

  'WHAT?!?!?!?!'

  'Read on,' James said, grinning with devilish interest.

'_—of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by Professor Albus Dumbledore. I objected to him. Again. _

_But of course, he actually **insisted** that you are the BEST CHOICE _[Lily felt sarcasm and was pleasantly happy about that] _and will do a great job at it. If I personally catch you doing mischief in the castle, I will- I will-- …_

_Well. You'd better keep your flighty head and wild notions off the prefectorial body, Evans._

_Deputy Headmistress,_

**_Professor M. McGonagall_****__**

_(Professor Minerva McGonagall)_.' Lily gaped as the letter slipped through her fingers.

  'Wow, we must be the few – or ONLY – HeadStudents to receive such _personalized_ letters about our duties!' James laughed.

  They shook the envelope for its contents. Two gold badges and a few notes fell out.

  Note Number One read:

_Do not let me catch you misusing or abusing your titles! As I had said, I will personally skin the two of you if you neglect responsibility and/or cause mischief. Don't you dare try anything stupid! –Professor M.McGonagall._

  Note Number Two, however, had another view on the couple's new posts:

_Professor Dumbledore, we feel, has chosen quite rightly for his HeadStudents this year. Do not disappoint him. Do not intend misbehaviour of any sort, as we have trust that you can cope with things, being talented students that you are. –Professors Flitwick, Sprout and Halley._

  'Hm, amusing,' Lily commented with a smirk. 'Talented, eh? That's new.'

  Note Number Three fell out from one of the owl's feathers. It read:

_I have hidden this note beneath the owl's feathers so that Minerva will not find it. I am absolutely positive about choosing you two as HeadStudents for this term, and have not a doubt that you will be one of the best ones ever. Professor McGonagall has supplied plenty of… comments, regarding your posts._

_Watch out for Lord Voldemort. Stay away from dark corners, and keep in groups. Keep watch for unusual happenings._

_Congratulations for saving Tally Chapman. Not many could have the courage that you have all displayed. Remus, Sirius and Adele did a marvellous job._

_Again, stay low. –Professor A.Dumbledore._

  The two of them blinked, then exchanged glances: 'Huh???'

  'Now that was weird,' Lily said bluntly, not knowing what to make of the last, strange note.

  'Yeah,' James nodded in agreement. He held out the glistening badges. 'Oh joy, we have a new addition to pin on our robes.'

  'As if pinning our prefect badges, note, handkerchief, and miscellaneous knick-knacks (A.K.A. prank items) aren't making our robes holey enough!' Lily sniffed upsetly. 'NOW we have to just have a new contribution to the holes! Huh!'

  'But we're HeadBoy and Girl!' James stated, grinning at the thought. 'Think of all the rules we're going to break!'

  'I doubt that,' Lily said promptly. Then she paused. She hadn't intended on that. Oh well. They say slip of tongue is a sign of the future your subconscious mind is trying to tell.

  'Well…' James said, tilting his head on one side in confusion.

  'Um. Should we tell the rest about it?' Lily asked, changing the subject.

  'Nope! We'll just give them a surprise! Let's just hear who they think are appropriate for this post!!' James said brightly, beaming.

  Lily's face broke into a broad grin. 'Wicked. Now I'd better tell mum some fibs. What do you think of "did you know, mum, that James tried to break off the engagement?? He called me a prig!"' Lily cackled at her own joke. Rose would probably freak out and march over to Mischief Portal to demand an explanation (or maybe place a spell) on the boy in question. James paled for a moment before glaring at her.

  'That's not funny,' he said sourly.

  'It IS.'

  'Not.'

  'Is.'

  'Not. Not to ME.'

  'Well, then, in that case, yeah.'

  'Shut up, Lily, and get out of here!' James scowled. 'Out! You're annoying me! NOW!'

  'Monster,' Lily remarked, pulling a face at him, before jumping off the window lithely.

____________________________________________________________________________________

AN: **_let me make a point here, please!_** *stares* what do you mean you won't let me? You HAVE to! I'm making an important point! So if you want to know what's up, you'd better let me!!! LET ME MAKE A POINT! *receives yells* still no???? Someone… LISTEN, kay?? ~silence~ Thank you. Now.

  I'll be leaving for my cousin's wedding. Not mine—hah, I'll die before I marry anyone at such an age! Besides, I don't like boys. Anyway, I'll be leaving for my hometown, probably on my way, when you'd read this. It's a Chinese wedding, with loads of foods and extra red packets! People, I can buy more manga and anime and books now!

  Er. That's not the point. The point is, I probably won't make it back in time to post the next chapter on 31 May, although I would try. I'm planning to post every three days, truth to be told, but all plans are… disrupted, since the wedding's up.

  If I make it back in time, good, you'll have chapter 2 on 31st of May. If I don't, the latest would be June 3, before my school starts again.

  Like Ginny said, _c'est la vie_.

*bows Marauder-style again* I like this bowing style, you know? My friends like it when I do it, too!! *grins* --bunny chan!!!!!


	2. This Is Your Last Warning

My **_Thank You And Answering Your Questions (?! I answer questions?!) List_** again! ^^

**The Angelic Andria **: pranks? Gee, I don't know… maybe yes, maybe no, but I won't bet on it ^_- try me. I'm sorry: I couldn't read your story, and I hadn't much time to reply to your e-mails. Please, please, please, forgive me!

**Fi** : Good read after a long day of revising? ^_^ that's nice to hear!!! Hey, maybe I should try relieving myself off my schoolwork by re-reading this again…? No, I might faint first! *laughs* and yes, I will keep writing, so, you can save your hexes :)

**Soul Lysythe Ice** : a new seventh year? What do you mean? A new student, that's probably a transfer from, um, somewhere on earth? Lol ^^ I don't understand! Thank you for reading!

**CalbeeQueen** : What is a calbee? Lai see? Huh?? Huh??? O_o oh dear… and no, I doubt many can picture that long a hair ^_^ after all, it took me a long time to see it! And believe me, Lily was NOT the least please with the picture I drew [which is her] … she scratched me!!!

**Lady Louisa** : I'm your favourite author? ^_^ *beams* I'm not the best one, though, so I'm really sorry.

**Frances** : I will add romance when I see the need to :) … NAH!! Just kidding! I WILL have the romance, so don't worry, okay? I have romance, but I have also a very shrewd way of expressing things. People just have to really DIG between the lines to see what I mean… *looks down*

**Hermione2** : TWO MONTHS?!?!?! You lucky, lucky thing! I have only ONE MEASLEY WEEK and I'm spending it by writing THIS for everyone! Hey, I start wars with my mum, dad, cousins and literally everyone in my family tree. As you can see, I'm quite a troublemaker.

**Tap-chan** : it is 31st of May when I posted this *smiles* and yes, I am _still_ 15, going on to 16 [boohoohoo]. You're in Malaysia too?? *hugs* do come and find me! I'm really really lonely! It's dreadful, I tell you, even when I'm in the middle of a concrete forest!

**Demented Sense of Humor** : when is there a rule that says Never Drink Coke When Reading The Marauding Five? Heh, yeah, boys have that way of reminding you that they're not intelligent ^^ but somehow, I'm still waiting. [don't bother if you don't understand]

**zumamoonlight** : I'm glad that you like this ^_^ as for the funny parts… *cough* most of them depends on the way things are viewed.

**Crystal Lily** : well… first off to how the reaction will be to the election of Headstudents… let's start with Professor Minnie *cough* McGonagall first!!! Here's the chapter! ^^

**Leigh Black** : it's awesome? Gee, I wouldn't call this … er, story [or whatever this fic really is] awesome. I call it demented :P

**Greengoldfish** : STILL the best?? Now you're flattering me a lot, Paige! *blushes several shades* don't worry about the review part ^_^ it doesn't worry much, really, but it does make me feel glad that people still care about me to review :)

**aimless-wanderer** : wicked starting? Huh??

**Bon** : I don't know how old you are, and … um, I don't want to insult you if I'm younger than you! But I doubt it, really! I'm a 5 year old girl at heart ^_^ hee, does it make you feel that bad? I do hope not! As for the Marauder-style… if you see me, I'll demo it for you! ^^

**Pschan_88** : SUPER CREATIVE?? Really, you have got to be kidding me this time. I didn't really plan everything. Rather, everything planned it all for me. Life is fine, only I wished that mum and I weren't fighting over why must I lock the room door :P hey, I got my manga! Yatta!!!

**Elena** : Yes, I am telling the Petunia party isn't happening, because Lily is too caught up with the issues with James and her mother :) as for them not moving to their new house… well, we all know how much Sirius **WANTS** to move in, right? And we know even more how evil Lily, James and Remus are. They're not moving for HIS sake and just to annoy him on purpose! Besides, none of their parents know about it, and it's safer to keep it a shut-up-secret than to have their peers tear the whole house down o_O believe me, my parents would if they know I own a house without telling them! And I didn't have a good time at the wedding [babysitting my cousins x_x] also, nope, I don't worry about not being pitied ^_^ no one ever cares, anyway, and another person to the list doesn't bother me much!

**CherryBlossomz008** : I am, I am updating, don't worry. And SMILE! Don't glare!! ^^ I didn't have a good time at the wedding [technically, not enough food], so that should please you tremendously well. When I say I don't like boys, I don't mean that I won't even TALK to them [well, I _do_ have to swallow my honour and dignity at times…]. I don't really like girls, either, especially most of them are really flighty. I'm just living in my own world.

**Smiley!!!! :)** : huh? You wanna yell at cherryblossomz? :) go ahead! Lol! I hadn't fun at the wedding, unfortunately. Technically, because there's not enough of food and I have to babysit my cousins. You have to listen to her cherryblossomz's complains?? Hoee…?? What sort? Maybe I can help ^_^

**Fantasia** : Similar? I can't tell *grins* lol, sugar high! I wish I can get on sugar high, too, but I get less hyper when I eat sugar, and sometimes end up CRYING o_O scary.

**Note**– Should I rid of this list? Weirdo, I have a feeling no one reads it! Lol :P

Disclaimer: To whomever in question, the Marauders, Hogwarts, all don't belong to bunny chan. In fact, the only thing she owns is just the Marauders [uhm, their personality, at least], Loopy Village [which she doubts exist], minor characters and Adele Varens ^_^ those mage stuff are my conjurations, so don't you DARE mess with them!

____________________________________________________________________________________

**The Marauding Five : Year Seven**

Chapter 2: This Is Your Last Warning 

  'Sufficiently speaking, this shouldn't happen,' Sirius said. Adele stared in the direction Sirius's black eyes are gazing.

  'Okay, so what is?'

  'What is what?'

  'What is _supposed _to happen but _shouldn't_ happen?'

  'Self-explanatory, isn't it?' Lily said. Snape just glared back at the five Gryffindors. 'You can ALWAYS tell when it's an illusion and not reality,' Lily added with a mocking grin.

  'For your thick heads' information,' the Slytherin replied thickly, 'this is my girlfriend. AND she's in Ravenclaw.'

  'Gee, why am I feeling so surprised then?' Remus drawled silkily. Then he gasped. 'Could it be…??? Oh goodness, you actually _made the love potion_?! Severus Snape, you were never THAT stupid before!'

  'You mean highly intelligent,' came the cold reply.

  'Obviously, intelligence never come your way,' James smirked. 'We meant stupid. Get it? Stupid, as in making the potion which you clearly KNOW is **not** allowed.'

  'I didn't need to use a potion on HER!' Snape spat. 'She fell for my charms.' The Marauders snorted and choked and coughed with laughter. Snape? Charm?? Those two words shouldn't meet.

  'So, what's her name?' Sirius asked with interest.

  'None of your business!' With that, Snape stormed off, his girlfriend in his arms. Adele threw up mentally.

  'Yuck. Yuck, yuck, yuck!!!!!'

  'And a lot more yucks,' Lily agreed.

  'I can't believe it,' Sirius said faintly. 'And it's only September the first! Snape got a Ravenclaw who's stupid enough to be more of a donkey than her bright housemates. Tally and Dan are actually- actually ENGAGED! And they're not fighting tooth and nail about anything, either! Adele's father just returned from Heaven-Knows-Where and appeared just before we entered King's Cross Station, giving us such a fright (no offense, Teddy, but… honestly)… AND we're only at Platform 9¾, still nine in the morning! WHAT ELSE WEIRD IS HAPPENING?????'

  'No offense taken,' Adele said stiffly, and continued, 'my father came home from some stuff somewhere on earth.'

  'Which is first time in three years? We sympathize with you,' Remus said for the rest of them.

  'Don't.' Mr.Adam Varens has just returned from his business trip to his family after a long time. He had sharp eyes, a goatee, and a voice with a sharp edge of American accent. Adele had looked at him with utmost disgust and hate, which no one had missed. Her father had returned her cold look with his.

  'How dee do, Lily!' Pertsy greeted cheerfully with Sita, who is hoarding lots of boys after her, as always. It's too common a sight to miss.

  'What about us? Why greet online Lily?' James whined.

  'How dee do to you too, then, James,' Pertsy said. 'Oh no; I'm sooo sorry James! I really _do_ mean darling fiancé to Lily, Mr. Ah-I-Am-So-Very-Poetic,' she added sarcastically after a momentary pause. James gave her a glare as Adele stifled a laugh. The boys snickered in amusement.

  'Look here Perttingham, you're speaking towards a VERY crucially mentally indestructible detention in face at the moment,' James said with utmost calm. It contrasted deeply with his murderous features.

  'Really. That'll need approval from the HeadStudents, then!' Pertsy replied smugly. 'You forgot the rule, eh? I'm in seventh year.'

  'No, we didn't,' Lily said with a sweet smile. 'Seventh years' detentions or house points are only assigned by the teachers and HeadStudents, no other.'

  'Yep! So bad for YOU!' Pertsy said, releasing a loud laugh that echoed around the platform. Fortunately, the folks are ignorant to it.

  'MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!' Lily and James laughed suddenly in unison, almost (**ALMOST**) sounding like the Dark Lord Voldemort himself.

  Pertsy stopped laughing and turned to them, hugging their tummies with their aching laughter. 'What's wrong with you? What's so funny?'

  'You,' Lily grinned, choking and sniffling with giggles of… giggles. Literally.

  'Well, now that you know your duty…'—James cleared his throat—'Pertsy, you'll have to dig all the moss in the castle walls, help the house-elves cook, hunt for game with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest, visit the Owlery twice a day to feed mine and Lily's owls…' James's cheerful alto based voice trailed on merrily, ticking each job off his fingers.

  'HAH! UNLESS you're a HeadBoy – which you _certainly, certainly, AREN'T_ – James Potter, you can say it to waste your breath,' the girl said with a proud face. You could almost mistake her for a peacock.

  'She's got a point, Prongs, so you should keep those creative detentions for the lower years,' Adele said.

  'Yeah, save your voice,' Sirius added practically.

  'And so, I assign those to you!' James finished, quite breathless, but radiant. Then he bowed, 'assigned by James Potter, official Prefect of Hogwarts.' Plus headboy, Lily added mentally for him.

  '**JAMES EDWARD POTTER, LILY ROSE EVANS, WHAT HAD I SAID ABOUT ABUSING YOUR TITLES????????**' A _very_ loud voice had boomed out of nowhere. It was familiar, with its sharp domineering tone and the stern anger the voice alone radiated. It rang and echoed and bounced off the walls of the Platform. Everyone jumped about half a metre off the ground in surprise. _Everyone_ in the hidden platform.

  'W- what was it?' a bulging witch stammered, her first year son who might as well be a pig in a wig, clutching to her frilly neon blue robes in fright.

  'What was _that_?'

  'Shocking! Absolutely shocking!'

  'It sounded familiar… Therese, you heard it before?'

  'Weird…'

  'You know, it sounds like it's from… you!' Remus said, staring quizzically at both Lily and James. This wasn't really what they had planned, was it? Those secret winks and snickers?

  'Could it be some –gulp- monster…?'

  'Argh!!! This platform is HAUNTED!' Adele gulped.

  '**WHAT DO YOU MEAN _HAUNTED_?! I'M AS REAL AS YOU ALL ARE, MINUSING GHOSTS!**' the voice shrieked again in shrill tones.

  'There it is again! This is a haunted platform!'

  'Run for your lives!!!!'

  'ALIENS LANDING!!!!' Sirius yelled enthusiastically, making everyone panic even more.

  'Lord Voldemort!' Lily called. It wasn't very loud, nor in huge bolding caps. But surprisingly, everyone heard her soft murmur, because louder shrieks, hysterical cries and mad scramblings were heard.

  James suspected that Lily had used her Psychic powers. She's never going to learn now, is she, to stop scaring these poor people, with such a soft murmur but yet audible to the whole platform?

  '**POTTER, EVANS, SEE ME IN MY OFFICE NOW!!!**'

  'What office? We're at the platform _still_!' James stated. 'Who is it speaking anyway?' Frantic yells and screams rang in his ears, causing his eardrums to thump hard with the vibration.

  'You know, that anonymous voice sounds suspiciously like Minnie,' Sirius said thoughtfully. Then he snapped. 'MINNIE?! She's _here_??'

  'That's not scary,' Sita sighed in relief. 'It's tremendously relieving.'

  She had stayed close to the Marauders since they were the only one who aren't yelling and shrieking as if aliens had landed. The two things the wizarding world are currently fearing at the moment are: Lord Voldemort (alias You-Know-Who, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named) and Aliens (scary green things scientists are crazy over with too many tentacles, arms and legs).

  'Well, not when you count when she turns purple,' Remus giggled. 'She swells up like a bloated bullfrog and turn to the purple hue of cartoon dinosaurs! Absolutely funny! Lily and James turned her purple last term, remember? Or weren't you there when we pulled it?'

  '**…Potter, Evans, you have a _lot_ to answer to…**' the Voice said in a deathly tone.

  Lily pulled out her hidden HeadGirl badge, realising at last (and in annoyance) that the Voice is booming from it.

  'Oh _no_! YOU are the HEADGIRL?!?!' Pertsy cringed. 'Serious??? You- you MUST be joking right??'

  'No, literally, I am the HeadGirl,' Lily informed her. 'Hello, hello?' she said into her badge, wondering if it has some voice transmitting device in it.

  'Then- then- then James… he is HeadBoy?' Pertsy paled considerably, remembering the detention.

  'Aw, aren't you bright,' James cooed, drawing his badge out. 'Hey Minnie, is that you?'

  '**PUT ME THROUGH TO MY TWO IRRESPONSIBLE HEADSTUDENTS!!!**' the badges boomed loudly. '**AT ONCE!**'

  'Roger!' they chimed. 'Lily and James, Marauders of Hogwarts, greatest pranksters in the universe, most genius humans to ever exist, child and teenage prodigies…'

  '**SHUT UP! I'm going to deal with you two personally!**' Professor McGonagall's voice blared.

  'Why, thank you,' Lily said.

  'Thank me what?'

  'Well, you said you'll dine with us personally. You'll be paying for it, I presume. Just a word of warning; James eats twice I do.'

  There was a pregnant pause of silence, as if McGonagall was digesting Lily's words.

  '**I _KNEW_ IT WAS THE END OF THE WORLD WHEN TWO IDIOTS TAKE THE HEADSTUDENTS' POSTS!!!**'

  'Our pleasure,' James said humbly, bowing to no one in existence. Okay, he's bowing to McGonagall, but she isn't there to see it. 'Now we'll have to say adieu, Professor, to load our bags into the train. You ARE eager to see us, aren't you?'

  '**NO WAIT! Look here, Potter**—bzzt!' Disconnected. Lily had somehow used a good silencing spell on it.

  'I don't believe it. You two, of all of HOGWARTS, are the HeadStudents?' Adele gasped, her dark purple eyes almost bulging out of their sockets.

  'Oh no. Just when I thought nothing worst could happen,' Sirius groaned. 'The start of the term is getting mighty disastrous now!'

  'I would prefer chaotic, but my word doesn't seem very appropriate. Sort of,' Remus chipped. 'Come _on_ already! We'll have to get on before the train leaves with all our belongings BUT us.'

**

  The Marauders had arrived at Hogwarts with millions of questions basically directed to the HeadBoy and HeadGirl. The sorting ceremony was… more or less likely disrupted by a loud puff of smoke, which brought a thousand or so flying cockroaches into the Great Hall, causing catastrophe and more cries of help. Literally.

  'POTTER, EVANS, BLACK, LUPIN, VARENS!!!!!!!!!!!' McGonagall shrieked, her throat already dry from all the berating lectures and sermons.

  'Innocent!!' Adele defended hurriedly, laughing as the witches and wizards ducked the flying pests that zoom all around.

  'YOU – ALL OF YOU – DETENTION!'

  'Isn't that new,' Sirius said cheerfully.

  'Very,' Lily replied, shortly. Her head was hurting again, and it thumped against her hearing and lungs. She paled.

  'Lily, are you alright?' Adele asked in concern, observant to her best friend's sudden spasm of fright. The other girl was positively shivering.

  Lily just nodded, her lips paling and her breathing short and hurried.

  'You five—return right to your common room,' McGonagall snapped. 'And _STAY THERE_. The other prefects will tour the first-years.'

  'Sure, sure, whatever you say,' James said, bowing regally. 'May we have the password?'

  'Trouble-makers. Now don't try anything else,' she said curtly. The Marauders turn to leave. 'AND GET RID OF THESE COCKROACHES!'

  'They'll be gone in two minutes, I should think,' Remus called in reply. 'If not, in an hour! Happy catching them all!!!'

  The Gryffindor Head shook her fists at them.

**

  'Lily! Lily! Are you HeadGirl?' Pattempt Thore said in amazement, staring up at his admired seventh year.

  'Unfortunately for the rest of the school, yep!' Lily beamed. 'What's the purpose of knowing it anyway? You want my autograph? I thought you had it already, during orientation last year!'

  'Yep!' the boy chirped, when his twin sister quickly interrupted him.

  'That's not the point, Lily,' Pastially quipped. Lily wondered at how much their speaking resemble preschoolers. 'Someone sent this to the HeadGirl.' She handed the letter to Lily, who turned it over.

  "HeadGirl, 7th Year, Probably Gryffindor, Hogwarts," the address read. The redhead snorted.

  '_Probably Gryffindor_. How intelligent,' Lily muttered, tearing the envelope's edge neatly. A scroll materialized before her and unrolled itself.

Lily Evans,

You would do well to do my bidding and come RIGHT OVER TO MY SIDE NOW!!!!!!

  Lily tore her eyes from the scroll in amusement and hurriedly rolled it back before the Thore twins could read its contents. She turned to them.

  'Who gave this to you?' she asked, smiling.

  'Dunno. It fell from the fireplace. There were five in total,' Pastilla said.

  'For HeadGirl, HeadBoy, Violet-Eyed French-Like Girl, Star-Named-Creature and the Lycanthrope,' Pastilla rattled.

  'What's a lycanthrope?' Pattempt frowned.

  'Something you don't want to know at all. Can you give me the other letters.'

  'Why?'

  'Because I know the recipients!' Lily replied.

  'Really? The only ones _we_ know are just HeadBoy and HeadGirl, which is you and James!' the twins said as they marvelled at Lily's intelligence with stars and spotlights in their eyes. 

  'It's no big deal. Now hand them over,' Lily said sternly, ignoring the tone of the voice. They gave her the four other letters and left with bright beaming faces, chattering about "Lily Evans's supremely great geniusness!"

  They looked quite ready to worship her already.

  Lily skipped off to the fourth floor, yelled the password at the mirror to the Marauder's Hideout ('WE RULE HOGWARTS!! MWAHAHAHAHA!!!') and made her big entrance. Four pairs of eyes stared at her expectantly.

  'Yes?' James asked. 'We're trying to eat in here.'

  Studying the secret room, it was littered with empty aluminium tin cans, packets upon packets of junk food, Styrofoam belonging to instant noodles bowls, sweet wrappers, idle plastic cups and oily plates. And that was just the table in the middle of the room alone. Lily waved her hand and all the trash on the table disappeared with a wink.

  It appeared in the Slytherin common room's fire place, causing SUCH a shock to the Slytherins that are roasting marshmallows by it.

  'Yes?' Sirius repeated.

  Holding out the four letter, Lily said pleasantly, 'we've got mail from Santa. The Thore twins said it dropped off from the fireplace.'

  Adele picked one of the yellowish envelopes and scowled at it blackly. 'What do they mean by _Violet-Eyed French-Like Girl_???? I'm NOT French!!! What sort of rude Santa is this???'

  'It's at least better than Black mage, which I doubt Voldemort know about just yet,' Lily said grimly. 'There's lycanthrope for Remus and Star-Named-Creature for Sirius. As for me and James, it's just HeadBoy and HeadGirl, which is thankfully far more decent.'

  'Gee, should I be thankful or what,' Remus mumbled sarcastically. 'Let's see…'

You would do well to do my bidding and come RIGHT OVER TO MY SIDE NOW!!!!!! Or else, further actions are going to be taken by the great dark lord, the intimidating wizard, the indestructible LORD VOLDEMORT.

  'Ah,' James stifled a laugh at the adjectives used, 'letter from—'

  'A kleptomaniac,' Sirius finished. 'How scary. Not. He shouldn't use those adjectives! And you all say my ego was big!'

Your _foolish_ games with my last letter shall not be tried on again this time! And before, for I shall take further steps on things! I shall rule the world!!! I shall destroy mudbloods!! I shall hurt all that you love!

  'Somehow I think the order of "scary stuff" is kinda wrong,' Remus mused thoughtfully.

  'Kleptomaniac,' Sirius nodded.

  'You can certainly say that again,' Adele said. 'He needs a psychiatrist, I think.'

  'Kleptomaniac, kleptomaniac, kleptomaniac, kleptomaniac…' the four Marauders chanted together.

And kindly make a wise choice. Be at the great one's side. This letter shall – I mean, _will_ – self-destruct in two seconds after the full-stop at the end of this sentence.

Lord Volde—

  They never had a chance to finish it. The scrolls have set fire on themselves and burst into pretty fireworks.

  'So, who's Lord Volde?' Lily asked. 'Voldemort's personal assistant?'

  'How very organised,' James smirked. 'What's after that? A _treasurer_?'

  Remus pulled out a quill and parchment from his desk (newly installed, limited-edition werewolf-shaped desks! Free to the lucky winners of Taco Cereals!), cleared the messy table and dipped the quill into the inkbottle professionally.

Lord Volde [_he wrote_]

Pardon, but are you sure you're Voldemort at all, to begin with? Oops, I mean, _Volde_. You certainly have not have much information on things now, do you? There are no such people named HeadGirl, HeadBoy, Violet-Eyed French-Like Girl, Star-Named-Creature and the Lycanthrope. Not among the originally named recipients anyway.

But we thank you for the KIND (not) nicknames.

Anyway, we read your letters which had decided to blow upon us, Lord Volde the Kleptomaniac. Doesn't seem too happy to be with us, probably. Since it demanded an answer, we would do so in a very straightforward way.

OUR ANSWER:

**NYAH, NYAH!!!**

Hahahahahaha!

**_The Marauders of Hogwarts_** (Official).

Ps.This letter will bomb in ten seconds! Watch out!!! Haha—TMF

  'Now to figure out the spell,' Adele grinned, satisfied with the letter. Lily was busy sorting her collection of coloured magic dust with James and Sirius.

  'I simply couldn't remember which is the one I used for Snape four years ago!' Lily said in an irate tone. She's definitely not used to her absence of memory yet.

  'What colour? The shade? The amount?' James inquired.

  'Which part of _I COULDN'T REMEMBER_ that you don't understand??'

  'Er…'

  'Is it blue?' Sirius asked, holding a watercolour-like blue up. 'Or black? Red? Yellow? Green? Pink, or purple, or brown? Maybe magenta?'

  'Look, I can't remember and there's no way you're going to try popping—' Lily paused. 'OH! I get it!!!!' she cried happily in triumph. Her friend stared at her in a manner of insanity.

  'Well?' Adele said finally.

  'Well what?'

  'WELL???' Adele repeated, demandingly.

  'Well, I got it!' Lily echoed happily.

  'Got _what_? Evans, you'd better be more specific or I'll be really specific with what I'm going to use on you!'

  'The magic powder you idiot!' Lily nearly shrieked.

  'Oh. So what was it?' Sirius asked curiously.

  'Um, the ingredients… Sirius's hair from the drain pipe 24 hours after he bath, flobberworms, tooth paste from Adele's sink, dental floss…'

  'Look, if you're trying to be stupid, you're doing a really good job about it,' Remus said, folding his arms.

  'Yes, yes, whatever,' the redhead muttered. 'I was just enlightening you on how to make it… might come useful.' She emptied half of the packet that had the colour of some disgusting green-with-red-and-yellow-swirls-spots onto the letter. The parchment shone blue for a moment. Sirius pushed her in attempt to see the gleam…

  And they say, curiousity killed the cat.

  Only, it's not a cat this time. And it didn't kill anyone yet.

  But this curiousity might _nearly_ kill (more of scare the wits out of) the receiver of this letter.

  'Aaaaaah!!!!!!!!' Lily yelped as the packet tipped completely onto the parchment. All Lily was holding now is just a plastic bag the size of her hand. 'Sirius! Look what you did!!!!'

  'Hurry up and fold it!' James instructed, freaking out as much as Lily is.

  'Should we write on the envelope, "this letter will self explode in 5 miliseconds after you unfold it"? It sounds like a good choice,' Adele suggested.

  'No.'

**

  Lord Voldemort, greatest dark wizard of the century, soon-to-be-but-not-yet ruler of the world, sat on the large red comfy chair in front of a blazing fire, sorting his mails. There were reports from the Death Eaters, fan-mails from age-old wizarding families that were his admirers, blah blah blah, and… _muggle junk mails_.

  How they found his postal address was a great mystery. Even more was how anyone had even managed to come close to his residential area. He's living in Dracula's Castle for goodness sake!!! No one should know his address… right??? RIGHT. Voldemort glowered at the junk mails featuring some gym equipments, kitchen wares, TV sets, et cetera. As if _he_, Dark Lord of the millennium, needed those!

  Pah! He moved those aside.

  Then he came to a black envelope, elegantly decorated with curly cursive borders of silver daggers and, in cursive writing, addressed to "Lord Voldie-Diemie-Mortie."

  Hm, black. His favourite colour. Maybe he should open it. Could be some great fan of his, seeing that they actually KNOW to use black, not pink envelopes with frilly lacey ends.

  The first thing that caught his slit red eye was the huge, bold, words of "NYAH NYAH."

  Next was the authors of the letter, "The Marauders of Hogwarts."

  And then, it was a large explosion.

  If the dark lord wasn't scared out of his wits, he would have met his death with fright.

**

  'Morning!' Tally greeted cheerfully.

  'Very, very, very _good_ morning!' Lily cried, skipping ahead. She twirled fully on her heels and beamed broadly at the girls. 'Beautiful morning, isn't it?'

  Sita, Tally, Nina and Pertsy stared at her warily.

  'I take it as a yes!' she chirped again, humming, as she danced towards the Great Hall.

  'What's the matter with her again?' Nina scowled.

  'We have a mad HeadGirl and a deranged HeadBoy. We might as well just kiss Hogwarts goodbye,' Pertsy groaned.

  'I wonder what's making her so happy,' Sita noted. The four girls exchanged glances.

  Curiousity, as always, bugs girls like the girls in Lily and Adele's dorm. They ran after the speeding Lily ('Sometimes, I think her hair is a REALLY great tool to track her down,' Tally commented) towards the Great Hall and entered, only to discover it's Owl Post.

  And the Slytherin table was being pelted with letter that burst into bright crackling fireworks as soon as it touched the table or the Slytherins.

  'WOOHOO!!!! STRIKE!!!!!' Sirius whooped, jumping about a foot high in his enthusiasm. 'Hahaa!!! Aren't we great, Slytherins???'

  The Slytherins turned in his direction to yell back at him (curses and foul language, likely), but the instant their lips parted, they began chanting, 'Yes, you are indeed great, o' mighty Marauders! Absolutely rulers of our might small brains! GRYFFINDOR RULES! GRYFFINDOR FOR THE QUIDDITCH AND HOUSE CUPS!'

  Lily was rolling with laughter, James fell off his chair and knocked his glasses askew, Remus was shaking uncontrollably, Sirius kept pounding the table and Adele. Adele… well, she was laughing. _Just laughing_. And very normally at that.

  'Hey, where's your sense of humour?' Sirius demanded.

  'I'm laughing,' Adele informed him. 'Hahahahahaha.'

  'No, it should be _this_ way!'! James corrected as Lily tickled Adele. She burst into a fit of giggles, squirming, lost her balance and fell into the bowl of cereal, face first.

  She emerged with a face full of sugar and fresh milk.

  'You…!!!' Pettigrew sputtered, regaining control from the spell for a short moment.

  'Aren't we great, Slytherins?' Lily said sweetly. And the Slytherins began chanting again, this time clapping their hands to the beat.

  A letter fell on James's plate. The Marauders stared at that letter with a slight suspicious frown.

  'Look here Evans, Potter!' McGonagall shrieked, stomping towards her HeadStudents. 'HEADSTUDENTS!! Playing PRANKS!!! What in Merlin's HAT is HAPPENING?!?! YOU ARE HEADBOY AND GIRL! **Strictly** not allowed to PLAY PRANKS!!!!!!!!'

  They ignored her – or maybe really never heard her – and continued staring at the letter as if it contained a bomb in it. Professori McGonagall paused for a while, sensing that she's ignored.

  'LISTEN TO ME, EVANS, POTTER! YOU ARE HELD TO DUTY—'

  'I'll open the letter,' James said finally, breaking the silence the group of five had walled. McGonagall silenced in puzzlement.

  Dan and Thomas stared at the letter boringly.

  'Why? What's so special about this? It's just another letter,' Thomas said when James cautiously picked it up. Now Tally is convinced that there really is some sensitive bomb in it.

  'Hey, it looks like the letter three days ago!' Pastilla said, eyes widening.

  'Hey, Tilla, you're right!' her twin seconded.

  'What letter? When?' McGonagall said in confusion. A round of excited gossipers from Ravenclaw came forward to talk about it.

  'WOULD YOU ALL SHUT UP?' James demanded. A HeadBoy with the power to give all sorts of funny detention and number of negatives to the house point is one thing. But HeadBoy James Potter is the most suitable candidate for handing overly bizarre detentions and not to mention do something bad to you whilst at it, is another story. You just have to obey that seventeen year old Marauder.

  He's not the leader of the Marauders for no particular reason anyway.

  So naturally, every student "shut up". A thousand pair of eyes followed as he tore the envelope open. A green skull with a serpent entwined in its left eye socket shot out vengefully. Half the students shrieked, Anna Hopkins fainted, as did a few other past victims of Voldemort.

  'Ah,' Lily said intelligently, 'the Dark Mark. New and redone.'

  'That's very intelligent, Miss Evans,' McGonagall said curtly with a sort of angry hiss in her voice.

  She smiled at the professor broadly. 'I knew it is!'

  'Good. So why do you do THIS??? This is the worst prank to play, you Fault-Raiders.' Her tone held venom in it.

  'It's Marauders,' James corrected.

  'Whatever. So WHY?'

"Greetings, MARAUDERS," a deep echoish voice murmured.

  'Yeah, hi,' the addressees replied with a smile. For the sake of being courteous.

  'Hey, know what? I think he had his voice redone, too,' Sirius said brightly.

"This would be your last warning," it went on, "to enter my side. You'd better think this over wisely, for the future of everyone lays in your hands. It is no more a joke, children—"

  'It's MARAUDERS!!!!! Teenagers! Anything BUT children,' Remus snapped out of habit.

"—For if you don't, I ensure you that your loved ones shall suffer – and they will suffer painfully. If Evans has her Inner Eye polished (I came to know she is a Seer), she would know what will happen.

"Think it over. The world is at your decision.

"I await your owl. Lord Voldemort"

  'Okay, that's something,' Remus said at last, with a simple shrug of his shoulders.

  'What-prank-is-that?' McGonagall demanded.

  'Not a prank,' Lily muttered. 'Wish it was, but SORRY, it wasn't.'

  'Just another letter, huh?' Dan whispered, prodding Thomas.

  Apparently, the letter wasn't quite done.

"AND YOU'D BETTER NOT PLACE A BOMB IN YOUR NEXT LETTER AGAIN OR I WILL PERSONALLY SEE TO IT THAT YOU DIE A GRUESOME DEATH!!!!—Voldemort." A string of cold laughter trailed after.

  The echoes left the Great Hall silence.

  'Ah,' was all Adele could muster. Despite herself, she felt like laughing, trying to imagine Voldemort's face when their last letter to him exploded, probably in his face. Wonder how white he had been…

  'That's it,' Sirius scowled, 'that's JUST IT. I'm marching over to that mad- mad- mad- mad KLEPTOMANIAC MONSTER NEED-THERAPY MORON's house and DISSECT him like I dissect my frog in Science class when I was ten! I'm not going to be THREATENED like THAT! What happened to human rights, eh???'

  'Actually, I thought that sending him a ticket to a psychiatrist would help,' Remus said hopefully.

  'WHAT SORT OF JOKE ARE YOU FIVE PLAYING THIS TIME?!' McGonagall shrieked. Her eyes were dancing with mad fear and frustrate, her mind was racing with disbelief. How could they have used the Dark Lord's name for a prank? Okay, so they were always playing pranks, FINE! That's understandable for mental teens like them! But one with _such_ standard is simply too traumatic for anyone to handle!

  'Joke?' Tally said weakly. 'This is… a joke?'

  'No,' Lily and James snapped.

  'Come with me,' the Gryffindor Head gritted, breathing heavily. 'All five of you. You have crossed the line. To the Headmaster you will all go, along with a letter explaining your expulsion from Hogwarts. I will NOT tolerate this nonsense any longer! The letter will be sent to your homes.' Adele's eyes widened considerably at that.

  'That would not be necessary, Professor McGonagall,' Professor Dumbledore said, entering the Great Hall in long strides.

  'Professor! But this prank… it is OUTRAGEOUS! Sensitive! It's—'

  'It's not a prank,' Dumbledore concluded, peering at the Marauders, who were looking quite innocent behind McGonagall. They managed a small smile at him and nodded to his conclusion of McGonagall's accusation.

  'Not a prank?! Do you mean to tell me, Albus, that You-Know-Who—'

  'It's Voldemort,' the Marauders and Dumbledore intercepted.

  'Alright, alright, be it your way! _Voldemort_—has been sending letters to _them_?' McGonagall shrieked. Adele figured that she was at her wits' ends. 'This is ludicrous!'

  'As a matter of fact, we do receive letters from him,' Remus noted.

  'Voldemort has made them him targets,' Dumbledore went on coldly, his blue eyes flashing at the five seventeen-year-olds – er, four, since Adele's birthday isn't anytime near yet. 'I'm afraid they would have to remain in Hogwarts, should you still want the world to exist,' he finished, realising that he sounded kind of dramatic.

  'Are you implementing that they – these five'—Thomas DeAnne of Hufflepuff racked his brain for a word to describe the Marauders that doesn't have the near definition of idiot or the likes—'um, pranksters – can destroy the world? Er.'

  For a moment, Dumbledore stared at the Marauders. Lily stared right back, her piercing green eyes speaking something silent. He hesitated.

  '…yes.'

  'Why else would You-Know-Who want them,' Charles Jasper chipped rationally.

  'Well, they hadn't destroyed the castle yet, thankfully,' McGonagall muttered sourly.

  'Hm, we're endangered species now,' Lily summarised.

  'Poor us,' Sirius sighed. James just laughed at that.

  'You're the Dark Lord's targets and STILL happy? I'm disgusted at you!' Tally yelled suddenly. She didn't care. She was closest to the Marauders, after all. 'You five ought to be thinking of ways to escaped You-Know-Who!'

  'It's Voldemort,' Adele said.

  'WHATEVER!' Tally shrieked. She was losing control of herself. Her body was shaking and tears were spilling uncontrollably. 'You five are just like puppets! Always smiling and smiling and smiling! That's all you all EVER do! Don't you have emotions?? You should stop being GLAD! You're all puppets…!' Tally broke down here. She burst out in hysterical sobs and ran out of the Hall. Dan trailed after her, concern brewing in his eyes.

  'Tal's right,' Pertsy said quietly. 'You all seem like you want to just walk right over to You-Know-Who's side with a big smile.'

  'Because,' Lily said quietly with a soft smile, 'we are puppets. Like puppets, we are being controlled. In a puppet show, the puppeteer always knows what's going to happen.' Lily's green eyes bent in mysteriously. 'And the puppeteers are about to come out, and take their credits.' Then her smile broadened. 'But in the meantime, you have to know the puppets first.'

  With that, the Psychic flicked her wrist downwards and led her friends out of the room. The Great Hall fell in complete silence, from the mental blast. Dumbledore stared after the Marauders' retreating form, curious and suspicion rising in him.

____________________________________________________________________________________

AN: N-CHA, minna-san!!! ^_^ how is this chapter? Oh, um, first off, I would like to sincerely apologize if anyone has asked me to read their fic or read ANY fic for that matter. I really really don't have the time! And I seriously mean it! Besides, I really wanted to finish this chapter fast. I don't quite like it, truth to be told, and kept making changes again and again, about four to five times o_O then I decided that I couldn't be bothered anymore, and just left it like this, which I hope would be quite _okay_ to be interpreted [if you want to ^^]

*hops around* Iiiiit's … bunny chan!!!!! *misses her footing* aaah! *falls on her face* …!!!


	3. Phase 1

**_*cough* I would flower this more, but hey, I'm not feeling well enough!_**

**CherryBlossomz008**: infamous? Gee, I made up my mind to look up that word for THREE YEARS and I still hadn't gotten around looking it up yet! And I kept using it ever so often, too! Sometimes, I wonder if it's wise to keep up this sort of habit :P I love the part where Voldemort got blown up, y'know! ^_^ A whole lot!

**frances**: um, this _is_ the seventh year [I think you can tell ^^]! I don't know if Voldemort is gonna be defeated or not. Still between the hovering line of kill-the-Dark-Lord-for-good-and-save-Harry or let-him-live-and-kill-Harry-and-maybe-come-up-with-a-different-future. I don't know. Why don't you suggest?

**Lily's FriendJess**: I wanted to put the asterisk there, but I'm the sort that gets REALLY peeved if someone messes with even the capital letters of my name ^^; and YES!!! Of course I remembered you!!! I miss you so, so much! At a point, I began wondering if I really did scare so many people with my writing! How's life been, besides you being healthy to keep alive? ^_^ I hope it's spiffing!

**Fantasia**: it's not the best story ever, because there's obviously a whole lot more fictions and fanfictions out there! Still, I'm flattered, really :) I would read your story if I have the time, but I have a bad sense that screams me to CRITICIZE and not REVIEW. If I ever got around to reading it, and accidentally offended you, please forgive me!

**Lady Louisa**: eternally grateful? Lol, you can do me a nice favour to being 'eternally grateful'! How does doing all my school detention sound? ^_-

**Hermione2**: your watch has some sorta alarm? That's neat! My watch has one, too, but somehow, it seemed to ring up at the wrong time. Especially when I want to wake at 6am, it'll ring at 4am! Madness, I think. As for the so-called cliffhanger… well, no! I didn't mean it to be one, since I'm BAD – really really bad – at pulling people to the cliffs at a right angle. As for the nicknames…*cough* the Marauders had strangled me for them. Especially Sirius. He was deeply offended, being called Star-named Creature!

**Glacial Phoenix Mystiara**: hey, I typed your name again! Wonder how long is THIS gonna last… I'm actually beginning to miss the times when you write me flowing long reviews!

**Greengoldfish**: haha! Well **_I_** couldn't enjoy my break cause I had to type this up for everyone, so it's good if you get nightmares about Snape kissing a girl! *pauses* I have a nausea coming up, I think… anyway, my break's only for a week [pity, really, I could've typed more if I were given a month]!!! And NO, you can't be Voldie's treasurer! The job's going to my muse!!!

**Star**: really? It is? I have in mind that _kleptomaniac_ is a person that claps their hands non-stop and say rubbish things! I'm sorry, but I have a bad habit to not consult a dictionary when it demands -.-;; forgive me, please! But it DID sound rather catchy, didn't it? Kleptomaniac, kleptomaniac, kleptomaniac!!! *grins* I'm surprised the word even existed when I first typed it on Word!

**Crystal Lily**: bunny chan is ALWAYS right when she said that things get beyond her control! For example, this chapter just did.

**Lexxy**: what is tomodachi? And siyonara? I don't think it sounds like the Osaka-ben I just learnt, the latter one.

**the Angelic Andria**: right, there you are, I read your fic! It's the only one I'd managed to read before I started on this chapter! And maybe you'd like to know, last years aren't meant for pranking :P why? Cause it gets you into a serious trouble, say, oh, the attitude column in the cert. Trust me, I would be on my very best during my last year! My first few years however, are a total disaster and joy! :)

**CalbeeQueen**: lol!!! You get the nickname because you ate a lot of Calbee chips?? Mine came by me because I love bunnies [bunny plushies overflowing my cabinet!] and I'm too… er, jumpy and happy for my schoolmates :P lol! I'm sorry, but my Cantonese is really really bad! I know only Hokkien and Mandarin, them being more of my mother tongue. In a way.

**Pschan_88**: n-cha!! Watashi genki desu, 'rigato! I didn't really buy much manga, aside from Meitantei Conan a week ago, but I did buy a lot of books! _Discworld_ series [three of those], _Memoirs of a Geisha_ and _Tale of Murasaki_. I just finished them, in fact :) yes, I will remember to message you!

**Kitty Luver**: lol, I wasn't quite aware that people are complaining how often I update! I think I'm working at quite a _considerable_ speed. I'm supposed to be sleeping in my holidays, and here I am, staring before my computer screen, draining all my brainpower! I think I deserve some recognition, but oh well! You tend to leave those alone ^_^ ne, I wish I have a friend to talk to like you and CherryBlossomz008!

**Elena**: o.O I thought I explained why Minnie doesn't know about the letters in the previous chapter…? Maybe it could be that I left it in between the lines [another bad habit!]… well, not many knows about those letters [refer: Melissa Black in this chapter]. I think you can find all those answers in the future chapters ^_^

**Tap-Chan**: yep, update really is a lovely thing, isn't it? ^^ I like it too, when I have stories to look forward to that will be updated! Gives a nice sense of enthusiasm to me. Much as I'd love to update often, I still have to balance my other chores! I hadn't been balancing them well, and am planning to try again in this new term of school! Wish me luck!! *crosses her fingers*

**Noelle**: NOELLE!!!!!! You didn't reply my mail!!! I was wondering WHAT ON ATLANTIS had happened to you!!!! Yes, I am very proud of you for remembering to sign in! it's been Heaven for you, but not for me. I got sick in my one week holiday and I STILL have to type this all up! Lily's little puppet speech… no, she's not being controlled by Voldemort. I gave a hint at the last chapter of TMF{Y6} and I'm just going to drop hints along the way! And trust me. You probably wouldn't like the fact so much that Voldie's back.

Disclaimer: To whomever in question, the Marauders, Hogwarts, all don't belong to bunny chan. In fact, the only thing she owns is just the Marauders [uhm, their personality, at least], Loopy Village [which she doubts exist], minor characters and Adele Varens ^_^ those mage stuff are my conjurations, so don't you DARE mess with them!

____________________________________________________________________________________

**The Marauding Five : Year Seven**

Chapter 3: Phase 1 

  'What do you mean by puppets? Huh? We're not Punch and Judy ornaments now, are we?' Adele demanded as Lily calmly poured a cup of tea for herself.

  'I didn't say anything about Punch and Judy,' Lily replied.

  'You _DID_ indicate puppets, and the only puppets I know are just Punch and Judy!!! C'mon, what's the secret?' Adele said hot-temperedly. 'What puppeteers? What credits?? What in Merlin are you even TALKING about???'

  'Poor Adele's going to get all swirly-eyed,' Sirius giggled, 'like those cartoons, when they spin and spin and spin all around and wink stars when they get bashed on the head!'

  'Yeah!!' Remus added enthusiastically. 'And maybe angels and doves and everything else!!!'

  'WHAT ARE YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT?!?!?!' Adele demanded in confusion, banging the table.

  'Hey, hey, watch my tea!' Lily warned as her teacup shook with the heavy bumps of Adele's fists.

  'Wonder why is Tally so upset about,' James pondered thoughtfully.

  'TELL ME!!!!' Adele screeched.

  'Tell you what?' her friends asked cluelessly. Adele would spout fire off her mouth if she were capable of doing so. Still, Black Mages don't exactly have that ability, so she couldn't.

  'YOU- YOU- You… er…' She was lost for words to describe her friends. They just laughed loudly at her without much courtesy for her angered features.

  'Well, hello, did I interrupt your gathering? Or maybe, are you all alright?' Dumbledore asked gently with a small smile. Remus and Lily narrowed their eyes warily.

  'Alright, what brought you to the  hideout through the bathroom again?' Lily asked suspiciously, peering into their tiny bathroom, which Professor Dumbledore just stepped out of. There was nothing. 'How did you come???'

  'Time,' the headmaster replied bashfully. Lily frowned further. 'Ignore it, Lily.'

  By which Lily resolved to NOT to ignore it. Of course, she lost track of it in less than ten seconds because of her seemingly busy mind. She _did_ ignore it. Rather, forgot.

  'Lovely place,' Dumbledore commented brightly, looking around. 'A tad bit …er, messy, though. Too bad I didn't notice it before. Now! The topic!'

  'Yeah, I bet this is about us again… Great,' Sirius grumbled, flopping onto his bed.

  'What, Sirius Black, did I tell you about minding your manners??' Melissa Black snapped blackly.

  'AAAAAAAAAARGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

  'Oh, may I introduce—' Dumbledore started.

  'MUM!!!! WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU _DOING_ HERE?????' Sirius yelled, fear and shock etched clearly on his face. He turned to Dumbledore franticly. 'What is she doing here??? She's supposed to be in Loopy Village! With THEIR mums!!! And our dads!!!!'

  Lily and James had a sinking feeling that Rose Evans placed Melissa here. To monitor _them_. They'd been suspicious of the all-too-cheerful look from their mothers, anyway.

  'Mum. Go home. We don't need your supervision on HOW to wash our socks,' Sirius droned monotonously.

  'It's Professor to you, Sirius,' Melissa replied curtly.

  'Professor??' James echoed, eyes widening to the size of waffles. 'What professor???'

  'Naturally, _that_ subject. I got bored of sitting at home.'

  'Defense Against the Dark Arts. Figures,' Sirius muttered. 'Mum, please go!!!'

  'Watch your mouth young man!' she snapped without a single punctuation. Okay, she did have the stop of an exclamation mark, but that isn't exactly in the sentence. It's at the end of the sentence. Remus, Lily and James were already bemoaning their fate of their last term at Hogwarts. Literally.

  'I am so dead,' Sirius whined. He then wailed, 'Dead, dead, dead!'

  'It's not that… bad,' Adele said diplomatically. 'I mean, she's a little better. Right?' The four rolled their eyes in disbelief at her. She hadn't really known Melissa Black behind her calm façade, obviously.

  'Don't you wish it,' Remus muttered. 'She's worst after Lily's mother.'

  'So, would you like to speak to me regarding your letter? Or maybe you SHOULD have spoken to me about it,' Dumbledore said loudly, trying to pry their attention from wailing about their fate with his new DADA Professor. 'When did Voldemort start sending you letters?'

  'Uhm… a long long time ago, I think,' James said, thinking hard for the earliest memories that he could muster about receiving owl post (plus eagle and hawk posts) from Lord Voldemort.  'Or it seemed a long time,' he clarified. 'Just now, few days ago (we sent him a reply!!), the holidays…'

  '_Quite_ a long time,' Lily added.

  'I – am – personally – murdering – all – of – you – !!!' Melissa gritted, clenching her fists threateningly at the Marauders. 'Why didn't I know???'

  'You didn't ask,' Lily stated.

  'I didn't know!'

  'But my mum would. She's a powerful Seer, remember? Unless, of course, something happened to her Inner Eye.'

  'Oh. Yeah. Right, Lily.'

  'So,' Dumbledore started again, finding it hard to keep the conversation on one track, 'what does it contain? The contents, I mean.'

  'Trying to get us to go to his side,' the Marauders chorused promptly in unison.

  There was a thoughtful pause.

  'Why?' the headmaster asked finally.

  'He'd know,' Adele shrugged. 'I've been getting tough luck since I know Castria's name.' She pulled her Yumi from her robes pocket. 'I was _supposed_ to get **good luck**, not sour ones!!!!' She shook Castria mercilessly. 'Gimme good luck!! Gimme good luck!!!! Not BAD ones!' The occupants of the room decided to ignore her.

  'What else did Lord Voldemort want?' Dumbledore asked, trying not to laugh at Adele and her familiar.

  'Er,' James hesitated. 'Our knowledge.'

  Melissa snorted. 'Hah! As if!'

  'It may sound funny, but it's truth!'

  'Ugh, how come MUM had a degree? I don't even know she had a degree for ANYTHING but child abuse!' Sirius groaned. 'Should've been behind the bars somewhere in Azkaban for child abuse, come to it.'

  'Sirius,' Remus sighed. 'Those two don't connect.'

  'So what's the verdict so far?' Lily asked Professor Dumbledore.

  'You'll have to stay at Hogwarts first,' was the thoughtful reply. And the Headmaster went through the bathroom wall, followed by Melissa, who gave them each a hug (and for Sirius, a pinch at his cheeks). The wall shimmered.

  Wall…?

  'Oh, so _that's_ the secret!' James exclaimed, popping his fist on his other palm in the so-that's-the-answer-to-the-mystery way. 'Looks like we'd have to either seal it for good or bomb it, then. Interesting… another way to come here besides the mirror and password.'

  'What?' Adele asked dumbly, looking up. She was too involved in placing curses on Castria and Kiara for not bringing much good luck. The Yumis were looking rather… um, strange.

  'Bathroom wall!!! Argh…! At THREE in the afternoon! Gotta find a barrier to stop that… library… grr…!!!' James stated. It was pure nonsense, but it's not as if any of his friends cared.

  'He's going to start thinking,' Lily noted. 'Let's go.'

**

  'It's hard to get it past your thick skull, isn't it? They're engaged, idiot, so GIVE IT UP. Not that you don't know anyway!' Tally retorted sharply. 'You were _there_ and you saw it with your own eyes!' The small fist banged on the table again.

  'I don't care! I demand to see him NOW!'

  Sita and Pertsy glared at the girl. She was getting really irritating. Are redheads _always_ so dim in brain??? Oh, no, that wouldn't explain the fact that Lily Evans being so tremendously bright, self-claimed genius and Miss Sharp Wit with a Huge Ego to compliment to everything. Crap.

  'I'm surprised that Sirius's potion for near-death didn't have any death,' Pertsy muttered. 'With his ability to slip all sorts of things into his ingredients, you would've expected it to have a slight mistake and blow her to death. But noo! He just have to be PERFECT this time!'

  'He could've done James and huge – and I do mean HUGE – favour,' Sita added with a glare. 'And to all of us here, too.'

  'Where are they anyway?' Dan wondered. 'Marauders, disappearing like dust for about 5 hours… very unlikely of them.'

  'Maybe- maybe You-Know-Who…' the sixth year gulped noticeably. Everyone in the common room hearing him shuddered.

  'It could be,' Pastilla trembled.

  'Don't even _think_ of it,' Jeremiah Jones snapped. 'Half the Quidditch team are of them! And so's the captain! Don't even THINK about it!!!'

  'All YOU can think of is just Quidditch, isn't it?' his girlfriend remarked, rolling her eyes. Then she turned to Tessie. 'Anyway, honey, you're better off elsewhere. We don't want you here.'

  'Aw. To think you all hate me that much,' Lily mused with a fake sob as she hopped into the common room. Then she grinned and bowed to everyone. 'Hello, folks!!! Missed me?'

  'Where'd you go??' Pastilla cried, rushing to hug the elder girl. 'We were so so worried that- that—' She couldn't bring herself to say it. Lily grinned.

  'That I got eaten by the new DADA teacher, huh?' the HeadGirl laughed. 'Hey, trust me, Melissa can't hate me that much! If she does, she _would_ have had me eaten ages ago. Besides, she's not a cannibal—she's a **torturer**!'

  'LILY!!!! GIVE ME BACK MY JAMES!' Tessie shrieked, grabbing Lily's long hair. Lily turned and noticed her, as if for the first time.

  'What's _she_ doing here?' she cried in mock horror. The Gryffindors just sighed. Tessie pulled on Lily's hair harder. Lily decided to ignore her. For now.

  'Anyway, I'm here to tell you, in James's place, that the Quidditch team will be getting new players,' Lily noted to herself, ticking that matter off mentally.

  'WANT MY JAMES!'

  'Speaking of James… What happened to the rest of you? Rarely go around individually,' Nina said curiously, peering over Lily's shoulders for signs of other Marauders.

  'Hm… let's see… Adele's with Hagrid (I think it's got something to do with the new Puffskins Prof. Kettleburn got), Sirius is having a – er – nice chat with his mum, Remus is having tummy ache (you'll have to blame those weird Beatle Bugs candies), and James is… thinking. I think he still is.'

  'JAAAAAAAMES!!!!!' Yank! Yank! Yank!

  '_Thinking?!_ Wow, this must be first!' Thomas exclaimed in amusement. 'By the way, didn't you notice that something is…er.'

  'Hanging on your hair,' Dan pointed out bluntly.

  'Really?'

  'Well, Tessie DID look like she's hanging…'

  'She looked more like she's pulling Lily's hair from the scalps.'

  'Okay, well, that, then.'

  Lily waved her hand casually. 'Yep, I noticed. Thanks for reminding me.' She flicked her wrist a little and Tessie was suddenly grabbed from Lily, as if by invisible force, and was flung right at the sofa where a group of third years were sitting on.

  There was a loud banshee wail and several oofs.

  The occupants of the common room (which is nearly half of Gryffindor tower) stared, rather speechless.

  'Right, interruption out of the way!' Lily said cheerfully, as if nothing out of ordinary had happened. 'As I was saying: Quidditch. Yes. Now. Em. New season starts this fall, I think. And—hang on a minute, attack of memory rearrangement—I'm Chaser, James's Chaser, Sirius's Beater, Remus's Keeper…'

  'And I'm the Seeker,' Jeremiah called. 'That leaves one Beater and one Chaser!'

  'Righto! Something must have gone wrong with me these days… can't seem to pay attention,' Lily murmured absent-mindedly.

  Tally stared unusually at her friend. Something was amiss. Wrong. There was something that's **completely** not complimenting the image she had of Lily.

  Tessie regained her senses and was furious, to say the least.

  'Look here Lily, hand James over to me!' Tessie snapped, shaking her fists at Lily. A few Gryffindors rolled their eyes, wondering when will Tessie actually learn her lesson to not do anything of that sort to Lily. 'You _certainly_ don't want to test my patience!!!'

  'I'm VERY certain that you don't want to test _mine_ then,' Lily said, stressing her words with sugar-coated sarcasm, something hard to achieve, especially the tone held. Still, it's Lily, and she managed it. With that, the HeadGirl idly skipped off towards her dorm. Tessie ran after her stubbornly.

  'Give me James.'

  'I'm not in power to.'

  'NOW, Lily.' In a flash, Tessie flew to the other side of the hallway, blocking Lily's path to her dorm. The Thore twins, trailing Lily out of amusement, stared in astonishment.

  'Wow. What made her fly like that?' Pastilla whispered to her brother.

  'And without her wand too!' Pattempt added in eager, awe tones.

  'Get lost,' Lily muttered curtly.

  'I'm not giving up this time!' Tessie declared fiercely.

  'Well, I'm not in a mood to do anything!' Lily snapped. She was having the splitting headache again. 'Get lost, or you'll suffer. GO!'

  The other girl stubbornly held her ground, her lifeless green eyes mirroring Lily's fiery jade ones. Then Lily realized something. Her gaze solid as stone as she seem to read every single cell in the smaller girl with a new realization.

  'I am taking James Potter with me this time!'

  'Well I'm not playing any childish games, unlike you,' Lily hissed. 'And you should know well enough, Lord Voldemort. I'm not going to fall for your next trick!'

  'Hand. Me. James,' Tessie shrieked in impatience, despite the punctuation.

  'Um. Tilla? Did she just said You-Know-Who's name?' Pattempt whispered. Pastilla didn't reply. She was trembling.

  Lily let out a snort.

  'Can't believe I just realized this! You had your spirit evened out – as it won't damage your magic or current state, yet able to control from afar – into a physical form. Apparently, it looked like **me** in my childhood days. You even had my temper and persistency in things, at some point!' Lily said smoothly, her lips in a confident smile. 'Probably drawing James to your side.' The confidence was still there. Her words however, trembled faintly as a familiar pain rang in her again. Lily snapped at herself fiercely. Her aura flared and the pain subsided. A _little_.

  Tessie's childish young face was curving into a glare that no ordinary five-year-old could achieve.

  'Target: James Potter. Mission: Get him over or murder him. Obstacle: Lily Evans,' Lily said, smiling despite the situation she was in. Somehow, she was amazed that her brain could come up with such brilliant conclusion.

  'Not quite, Lily,' the smaller figure replied in a raspy note. 'I plan to _eliminate_ the both you of first; you, Evans, and Potter. And _then_ the meddlesome Adele Varens would be **next**. The werewolf, soon after, and lastly is the Yellow One. A perfect thing that I had planned. Do you realise it only now, Evans? Hahaha!' The laughter was cold and… quite noteless, in fact. It seemed impossible to have such a tone.

  Lily shivered involuntarily at the words. It gave her the creeps. 'There were too little clues,' Lily shrugged casually.

  'There were actually _plenty_, m'dear,' Tessie sniggered.

  'I'm not your deer,' Lily snapped. 'I'm not even a DEER, to begin with. Human, actually. The rare group known as Marauders, spelt M-a-r-a-u-d-e-r-s.'

  She was ignored, of course. Only the spying Thore twins actually had stars in their eyes at her bravery, since they literally worship the Marauders.

  'Hadn't it occurred to you how I obtain the Gryffindor passwords? Or how your friend Sirius's potion hasn't much effect to Tessie, when it should send anyone to the asylum? Or how a little girl – a sweet little orphan girl – who's half banshee—'

  'Sweet little orphan,' Lily mimicked. 'Oh sure you are. Sweet little girls don't particularly mess with witches and wizards that are actually known as one of the most dangerous ones, ESPECIALLY after her darling king-papa-Neptune had remarked it himself. Really, Voldemort, you think too highly of yourself.'

  'Shut up, Evans! Let me finish! A sweet little orphan girl – who's half banshee, can bear so much similarity to your younger self?'

  Lily rolled her eyes. 'That wasn't enough to deduce, anyway. Besides, I **told** you – for the sake of your bursting ego – that I just realised,' Lily pointed out darkly, penetrating another sharp glare at the small child. At _Voldemort_, bearing her tender childhood's physical appearance.

  Voldemort (or at least, his spirit, which possessed the same twisted personality as him) smirked, pulling out a wand. How the wand came by, there was no answer, for Neptune CERTAINLY doesn't own one. Why a wand when you have a trident?

  Suddenly the small body flew and wrung the short fingers at Lily's neck before she could even defend for herself.

  'Time to eliminate YOU, Lily Evans, Little Miss Brains!' the raspy voice cackled in glee.

  Pattempt and Pastilla, still hiding behind the wide pillar, gasped inaudibly.

  '_AVADA KE_—'

  Lily grabbed at the unnaturally strong hands, trying to free herself. Funny how something that looked so frail and small could hold such strength. Then again, it is Lord Voldemort that is inhabiting the creation. Almost nothing is impossible.

  'F- fire,' she choked. Fire surged all over the small figure, torching it alight. Lily screamed as the fiery white flames licked at Tessie's hands, still attached firmly to Lily's neck.

  Pastilla couldn't take it much longer. 'Aquas!' she cried, brandishing her yew wand the white flames that licked at Tessie's frame. Lily's eyes widened at her and Pattempt.

Black Magic… 

  Lily choked and cried out in fright. Never had she endured such pain before as the flames burst out with even more passion than before.

_Black Magic should never be stopped with normal spells!_

  'Get Adele! Library!' Lily managed to call out as the still famished white fire scorched her throat furiously with no mercy.

  Panic, fright and wonder loomed in the twins as they feebly dashed off to search for Adele Varens.

  The girl struggled with her magical flames, burning at her neck, feeding off her power. Tessie's body shattered like ashes as a gale blew in through the nearby window, sweeping the last bits into the air and scattering them on the yellow earth.

**

BANG!!!! Madam Pince and nearly the whole library jumped up in fright at the outburst of the heavy oak door.

  'Adele! ADELE!'

  'ADELE, WHERE ARE YOU?????'

  'SILENCE!' Madam Pince barked sharply.

  'IT'S AN EMERGENCY! ADELE!!!!!!' Pastilla cried tearfully.

  There was a distant patter of footsteps, a thud and a clutter of books falling off the shelf and a few cries of 'Ouch!' 'Oops…' 'I could've broke my bone, stupid Gryffindor!' 'Well, Slimy Slytherin Snape, it's better if you did!', and a loud yell from Snape. Conclusion could be drawn that Adele had punched him, from the next yell, 'There! I hope you have a broken nose!!!'

  The Thore twins ran in direction of the noise.

  'Well! What's it?' Adele's calm chirpy voice asked.

  'It's- it's Lily!!' Pattempt cried, waving his arms franticly.

  'Fire,' Pastilla added, sobbing. Madam Pince raised her eyebrows in confusion.

  'Huh?' Adele offered in puzzlement. She couldn't make any sense of their words at all.

  'Lily is burning! We- we don't know how! She just said something, and- and—! WAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!' Pastilla wailed. Adele's face turned a few shades paler.

  'What happened?' Then she reconsidered. 'Where's she now??'

  'Dormitory corridor!'

**

  Lily woke to a blur of colours, her head seemed to be ringing and bumping jackhammers all around. It was frustrating. And her throat hurts _so_ much! What had she gotten into to fall in such state anyway??? Then the past day's events flooded numbly into her mind. She breathed.

  Someone was holding her hand. Lily frowned, feeling awkward and angry at the same time.

  _Let go of my hand!_ she tried to ay. Tried. Okay, fine, her mouth – lips and teeth and jaw – did feel that it was moving, only… she couldn't hear her voice. Or feel the familiar vibrating hum of her rattling voicebox. By Merlin, she doubted her voicebox is even rattling!

  Is she deaf? Maybe that's why she can't hear herself. Or it could be that the flames had scorched her skin so badly she couldn't feel it around her throat.

  'Ssh! She's trying to say something!'

  'She hasn't even stirred, stupid!'

  'Watch who you're calling stupid! I'm smarter than YOU!'

  'Shut up, you two!'

  Okay, confirmation from the brain: eardrums are a-okay! Sirius, Adele and Remus. Check. Where's James?

  But… _what about her voice?_ Lily lifted her eyelids to the full extent. Sirius and Adele were talking to Professor Dumbledore and Melissa. Remus was munching on Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Bean, turning over a copy of the _Daily Prophet_. James was holding her hand. lily shot him an intense glare, which he failed to acknowledge because he was fast asleep.

  'Hey, she IS awake! Now what did I say!' Sirius exclaimed happily with faint traces of relief.

  _Yeah, of **COURSE** I'm awake! Do I look dead???_ Lily snapped. No words. She stared at herself in horror. _What on Atlantis is happening?!_

  'Stop miming, Lily!' Remus chided, putting the paper down. 'C'mon, tell us what happened.'

  _I… can't talk_, Lily realized, gazing blankly ahead.

  'Lily, come on, tell us! I came to find you lying stiff on the ground yesterday!' Adele remarked. 'And, by any chance, were you using your Magic?' She whispered the last part in secrecy. Lily nodded in daze. 'I had to put it off, you know. What were you doing? Wondering how it feels like to get burn???'

  'If you insisted on it so much, you should've used just your wand, you know,' Remus added.

  Lily's lips began to form words in a quick, sharp retort. Something witty, the Marauders thought in wry amusement. Then Lily's face changed expressions and now she seemed like she's yelling.

  'Her throat has been damaged,' Madam Pomfrey said briskly, entering with a tray of medicine. 'Has to eat some medicine or she can't talk.'

  'How long, then, until she CAN talk?' Adele asked.

  'IF she eats the medicine'—Madam Pomfrey eyed Lily critically, doubting that the girl will—'she can after month or so.'

  Lily's eyes bulged. _A MONTH OR SO?! NO TALKING??? MEDICINE?!?!_

  "WHAT!!!!!! Isn't there an EASIER way to all of this??? Like instant packet or the likes??? I WANT TO TALK!!!!" Lily yelled mentally at the nurse. Then she remembered after that, that she's a Psychic. Pomfrey jumped up in fright ('Whoa,' Sirius marvelled, 'not bad, considering her weight!') and looked around her in fright. Then she stared at Lily. The redhead just offered her a sweet innocent look. _What? I didn't say anything. Remember, my voice's gone._

  Everyone stared at her in confusion, not able to make out what her lips are trying to say. Of course, that's just what Lily intended. Remus pulled out some parchments and quills from his bag and handed them to Lily. Lily stared.

  'Write what you want to say on it!' Melissa said impatiently. Lily scrawled untidily.

Er.

  'Oh all you wanted to say is just that?' Professor Dumbledore said in amusement. Lily nodded uncertainly. 'Well, I expect a full account later, Lily. I have to attend the Ministry of Magic meeting in an hour.'

Bye bye.

  'Very nice of you. Bye bye, too,' the old wizard commented, leaving.

  Adele turned to Lily worriedly.

  'So what EXACTLY happened, Tinkerbell?' she asked.

  'You should as her to begin from the start,' Melissa said, turning to Lily.

  "Which start do you want?" Lily replied mentally. Pomfrey gone, Dumbledore gone; it's quite safe already.

  'How many starts are there?' James asked. He just woke up and caught quickly the flow of conversation.

  "I don't know."

  'Okay fine, just start wherever you want to start! Whichever start you think appropriate!' Remus said practically, waving his hand.

  "Well, I don't think ANY of my starts are VERY appropriate," Lily mused thoughtfully, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

  'You'd better speak, before I wring you,' Melissa said curtly with a careless sniff. Lily gulped.

  "Okay okay! Fine. I'll start really easily. The shortest. In fact, all I'm going to give you is just **ONE SENTENCE**. One simple, very factual, very very to-the-point answer. Seriously—"

  'Get to it, Lily!' Sirius snapped. 'It's past one sentence.'

  "RIGHT; Tessie is some sort of Voldemort's spirit or something, and she's here to kill us, but I finished her up instead!" Lily said in one breath. Thought, sent mentally, whatever.

  Blink. Blink.

  'What.'

  "I TOLD you that you won't get it." Lily nodded self-consciously.

  'You didn't,' James pointed out, 'you were rambling about how very short and factual your sentence is.'

  "Well, yeah! But I didn't say that you'll understand it, right?"

  'Point taken.'

  "Look at it this way, pretend I'm Voldemort," Lily said. "You know that our spirit can somehow be split by some VERY dark magic, right?"

  'You're not Voldemort!' Sirius protested. 'You're our baby Lily!'

  Lily bared her teeth at him. "I'm NOT your stupid baby Lily! So quit that title already. Besides, Adele's MUCH younger, get it? She's born in October!" She coughed in effect. "So. As I was saying."

  'You weren't saying. You were sending your thoughts to us with your supreme Psychic powers.'

  "SIRIUS!!!!!!!!"

  'Oops.'

  "Riiiight. Spirit splitting. Now." Lily Evans was on verge of impatience with Sirius's short interruptions. "He made a physical body that resembles my little self. Sent his spirit in there. Attack me. Happy? End of story."

  'No wonder Tessie looks like you,' James decided dryly. Lily frowned partly at Voldemort's original plan (which was to draw James over with the hopefully smaller and cuter version of Lily) and then, out of nowhere, blushed.

  'Right, that sure is short,' Remus commented. 'But it's not in one sentence, so you didn't prove true to your word.'

  "Fine, fine, think of those full-stops as comas, okay?" Lily sighed. "I think Voldemort wants to attack us further."

  'Intelligent,' James remarked.

  "No, seriously!!!" Lily insisted. "It's true! There's something that he said that creeps me!"

  'Wow, that's something,' Sirius said in amusement. Then he held an imaginary copy of _Daily Prophet _in his hands, pretending to read the headlines: 'Lily Evans Freaked Out By A Message Consisting of English Words.' He paused. 'It IS in English, isn't it?'

  'What do you expect? Her language is really bad,' James smirked.

  "VOLDEMORT ALMOST KILLED ME!!!" Lily shrieked in some unbelievable volume in their heads.

  'It's a good thing he didn't,' Melissa replied, smiling in a daze.

  "He's going to get us, and I know he is," Lily pressed. "So trust me, we need—"

  'A more mature strategy?' James suggested.

  "Yes, exactly."

  'Oh, like what?' Adele asked sarcastically. 'Playing chess with Voldemort? Very funny, James.' Little she knew how close her joke struck to reality.

  'Not really. Strategy has many faces,' Sirius offered, not knowing quite what he himself meant.

  'You mean Voldemort has many faces,' Remus corrected, technically correct.

  _Whatever_, Lily's lips formed.

____________________________________________________________________________________

AN: it's the stupidest way I can end a chapter, but hey, I am ignorantly stubborn enough to do it—'cause I'm sick. Truthfully. If I weren't to listening to some midi [nice and comforting, too! ^^], I would've ended up unconscious on the keyboard, and mum will ban me from the computer!!! Ulp!

  And I'm really sorry the puppet thing turned out to be such an…uh, impact? I don't know. I DID mean for people to take notice of it, but not THAT much of notice! ^_^;; guess I did too much in it, huh? It _was_ suppose to be a passing-but-noticeable-comment! Really!

  I'm going to slack off a little, since I have no idea how long this year would be. Okay, I'm actually praying in hopes that it'll be shorter than 10 chapters, but if the L/J romance got in my head too much… well, I don't want to know!!! _Pssst! Misty, I'm giving you a really huge clue in this chapter, if you **STILL** want to decode it. It's really easy, y'know :P_

Ja~!  — bunny chan


	4. Quidditch: Phase 2

**_Note of Apology:_**_ I'm terribly sorry I didn't post this anytime earlier. I fell terribly ill. No, nothing – NOTHING – to do with any virus around! Believe me, it takes a lot to get me sick. I had some sleeping problems [unidentified: Insomnia???], stress from examination competition [passed with okay marks, flunked Moral], peer pressure [dad and mum are monsters; they don't understand me], psychological and emotional problems [never thought of it, eh?] and a few dizzy encounters with the wall. Also, there's FF.N login system down. So, please forgive me!_

**Silver-Gold:** you can send all the questions to me, you know. And I DO read all the reviews :) really! Of course, it only happens when I get back from tuition… that's rare.

**Lynn-chan:** um, I wouldn't call myself a great writer, and neither would anyone that I know personally. *laughs nervously* they call me a psycho, really. And thank you for the praise of the plot! ^_^ I don't go to an International School, and believe me, my command of English [ESPECIALLY Grammar] is terrible. Malaysia's nice… if you didn't get sting by a bottle, strolling the beach! :P

**Mr.P:** I'm not sure about the strategy, but the Marauders generally take things to their own hands {yes, they DO live in one of my worlds} so it'll come in a moment. I'll think about it, though! ^^ no, I'm not Japanese, and it's not my native language, either. My native language is … I don't know. Hokkien, Mandarin, English and Malay? I'm not good in all of those.

**Greengoldfish:** yep! You can be the secretary treasurer!! ^_^ and… no, I didn't feel better. In fact, I was much worse off. Awesome chapter…? I HATE that chapter! I'm pretty sure that I'd hate _this_ one, too, if it weren't for the certain elements I … uh, sneak in. and I couldn't manage to update soon, because of my current problem [re: Note of Apology]. Well, if I can't talk for a month, I'll purposely annoy people. You know, call them all sorts of things, and they won't even know! Good way of ridding the pressure.

**Pschan_88:** lol, I read them ALL! ^_^ yep, all the CCS manga! Lovely, the whole thing, and it's even more beautiful with the words; trust me. I just began taking my mandarin lessons again, you know :) yes, Tessie's dead, if you would think it that way.

**Y. Kuang:** It's too bad that you find _And They Live Happily Ever After…?_ nicer than _Masquerade_! I'm rather fond of the latter! ^_^ Yes, I'm Chinese, but I have a bad command of my Chinese characters. Really, reading them is a strain since I can barely memorise half my age's vocab! I'm not good at L/J or writing; just happen to have some experiences and dreams ^_^ thank you, anyway!

**Smiley:** you know, I like Smiley more than Kitty Luver! :P maybe because it's shorter, and it has the word "smile" in it! You're moving? That's too bad… you'd better keep in contact with each other, or you might end up with a bad ending, like me and my old friend. We lost contact, and she wouldn't even call me anymore!

**Tap-Chan:** there are clues in Y6 and Y5, and I think a very very short and unnoticeable hint in Y4. Lucky you didn't flunk anything! I hate Moral papers… it's not like I don't have a moral if I can't remember those values. I have poor memory! Ah, sorry, pointless rambling! ^^; and yes, Tessie's gone. Are you going to rejoice or cry?

**the Angelic Andria:** yeah, that's the huge problem, when mummy is a teacher! You are GUARDED. I've always wanted to go to a boarding school, to escape my parents :P then I thought, if mum were one of the teachers, wouldn't it break half my dreams? … maybe that's how Melissa came to be there, anyway. I wasn't planning for her, but oh well. There HAS to be a survivor.

**Lady Louisa:** You're in luck, then! My detention consists of Civil Service [WHOLE SCHOOL!!!!] and a contract of behaviour [SUSPENSION!!!!] and a few demerit points [NOOO!!!!! My efforts for Sports Day!]. Good thing you're in England! ^_^

**~*Crystal Lily*~:** I just added those instinctively!!! [*points at the asterisk and the wavy thing*] anyway, my clue isn't really important :) the nice part comes when the Marauders take all the effort to decode it AND Voldemort would just prove that they're just too smart to think a simple answer! ^^ you'll see.

**Lily's friendJess:** my writing didn't scare you away?? No??? thank you!!!! *hugs* that's the first time anyone has ever said it to me! But how did I bring you back? And… I'm terribly sorry if I leave a bad review [or whatever note I left in your review box!], because I'm a very bad reviewer. Please forgive me!

**Leigh Black:** you're grounded? Oh great, it'll be my turn to get grounded next week! Dad will, see, because I flunk one subject. Talk about peer pressure. Er. I mean, child abuse.

**Elena:** I don't get it, really! Is everyone rejoicing that Tessie's gone, or are they just sad? *looks puzzled* oh well!!! You'll have to put up with this weirdness, though. It'll go on for some time, I think, but I can't be too sure!

**CherryBlossomz008:** I want it to be shorter than 10 chappies because I'm worried that you'll be bored of it! ^_^ truly! Besides, I have a notion that the next few chapters are going to be long. Don't ask me how. Plenty of explanation to make, I think, since I got some questions, and I have to tie a lot of loose ends! I don't want to abandon anyone! I know THAT feeling very well!!! And whilst I didn't write another chapter, I did come up with a new plot :) forgiven?

**Milkyweed:** wonderful? … *pauses and wonders if she should explain WHY she hates the last chapter* er… *decides not to* I guess everyone has different views! ^_^ I respect opinions!! :P

**Hermione2:** No one expected Tessie to be Voldie?? That's something. I was afraid that people think like me [observing too many tiny details] and suspect her, what with her entries to the Gryffindor Tower! Amusing! ^^

**Glacial Phoenix Mystiara:** utter relief that she's a Psychic? *ponders on that* I don't know. Maybe it is, maybe it's not. I haven't written the next chapter yet, so I won't know! You can ask me again once I finish the next chapter! :) then I'd probably reply, "Ask again next week" and that week, I'll repeat that again and again and again UNTIL the story finishes, and you'll know the answer!!! *beams brightly* well, it WOULD work…

Disclaimer: To whomever in question, the Marauders, Hogwarts, all don't belong to bunny chan. In fact, the only thing she owns is just the Marauders [uhm, their personality, at least], Loopy Village [which she doubts exist], minor characters and Adele Varens ^_^ those mage stuff are my conjurations, so don't you DARE mess with them!

____________________________________________________________________________________

The Marauding Five : Year Seven 

Chapter 3: Quidditch: Phase 2 

  'YAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!! FIIINNNNNNNAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Lily shrieked in triumph, shattering windows and injuring all eardrums in the Great Hall. 

  The witches and wizards stared at their HeadGirl in half amusement, quarter fear and quarter fright. Lily's outburst had been rather… surprising. _Very_ surprising, actually. She was supposed to be mute.

  Adele stated that, testily trying to see if her ears are still working. It was fine, except for the small fact that it's vibrating quickly, still rattling from the loud and very forceful wavelength.

  'I swear, if I go deaf, I'll MURDER you!' James snapped.

  'I got my voice back, I got my voice back,' Lily sang happily (thankfully, in a bearable volume) as she danced and twirl happily on Gryffindor table. The first years were already doubting her sanity. After all, HeadGirl aren't supposed to be so… weird. Right? Um, maybe they are…?

  'That's very good, Evans. Now, if you would kindly return to your seat,' McGonagall said, trying to pull Lily down. She succeeded. Lily somersaulted onto the floor neatly and grabbed the professor.

  'Minnie!!! I got my voice back! I got my voice back! After ONE BORING DULL MONTH!!!! I can talk!!!!!' Lily cried in ecstasy, shaking McGonagall violently in her excitement.

  'Y-yes, Lily, we can tell—now…'

  'I CAN TALK!!!!!!'

  'Very good, er. Would you kindly be seated now?'

  'I can finally finally talk again!! I think my voice misses me, too!'

  'Yes, Lily, now…'

  'And believe me, I'm—'

  'Lily, please!'

  'Listen to me!! I just got my voice back!! As I was saying, I was—'

  'Looks like she's very happy,' Sirius mused in fear. 'That's scary. The next thing you know, she might cast a spell to rain sweets and candies.'

  'Isn't that good?' Adele pondered.

  'No. They're as huge as a sofa!' Remus cried.

  'WHAT???? That's MADNESS!'

  'Tell us about it,' James nodded. 'And she doesn't look close to shutting up now,' Remus sighed wistfully. 'There goes our nice quiet weekend.'

  'Lily Evans!' McGonagall said sharply in frustration, interrupting Lily's pleasant chatter. 'I am _very_ glad that your voice is back. Yes, truthfully. Now, will you PLEASE be seated again?'

  'Yep!' Lily chirped, and plopped onto her place between Adele and James again. She was too happy. _Finally!_ Gone with the stupid sheaf of parchments (her muggle notebook ran out of space—big writing) that she has to carry _everywhere_ she goes! And off with that blunt(-ing) quill, too. Her pen had ran out of ink and the tip blunted from writing on the coarse parchments long ago.

  And she was too tired of writing already, since she can't use those Blessed-Gift-Called-Psychic because no one else should, technically, know that she's one.

  Lily turned to chatter with her friends.

  'Tape her up. Someone, please,' James said when he noticed Lily was taking a deep breath. Meaning that there's a long string of talk coming. Lily scowled blackly at him. Just then, McGonagall called her over.

  'We don't _dare_, Jimmy,' Sirius said in a mock trembling voice. 'She'll blast us off; literally.'

  'Yeah, why don't _you_ do it? You're her fiancé, after all!' Remus added, grinning wickedly.

  'No. Adele can. Alright Adele, you heard me, tape her,' James said, handing the raven-haired girl a spell-o-tape.

  'And have SPIDERS in my bed?' Adele screeched. 'No!!! She's been cooking up all sorts of things!'

  'We're against Ravenclaw!' Lily declared to James. 'Second game, Minnie say.'

  'Oh. That's fun,' James said boringly, waving it off casually. Then his eyes snapped up at Lily. 'RAVENCLAW??'

  'What do you think it is, then? Teddy Bear Paws?' Lily said sarcastically. 'Or did you just want me to repeat it, because you miss hearing my voice for a month and two weeks?'

  'Hah, you wish. I'd rather the time you lost it! It was a peaceful haven,' Sirius huffed.

  'Hey, at least I spoiled Voldemort's plans! Else, James'd be dead by now!' Lily retorted sharply.

  'Ravenclaw… Ravenclaw…'

  'Really nice,' Adele murmured sentimentally (just a SHOW, of course). 'Girl saving her boyfriend from the evil dark lord.'

  'Cut it,' the other girl advised.

  'Ravenclaw… Ravenclaw…'

  'What's wrong with Ravenclaw, James?' Lily asked curiously. 'It's not as if we hadn't fought them – and defeat them – before.'

  'Ravenclaw…'

  'Alright, I officially proclaim James Potter stupid,' Remus announced. 'All he can say now's just Ravenclaw! What's the big fuss???'

  'Ravenclaw…'

  'Maybe- maybe he likes someone from there! And he doesn't want to fight her! Or make her house lose!' Adele exclaimed brightly.

  'Watch it, Varens!' James snapped fitfully at her. 'I won't like _anyone_ at all!'

  'What about darling Lily?' Remus poked mischievously.

  'She can blast you,' Sirius contemplated. 'And you really have to watch out for her daggers… and woe be told to those who hate her!!!' James paled slightly. He knew all about that. What sort of childhood friend would he be if he didn't?

  'What are we waiting for, then? Let's get Lily!!' Adele grinned evilly, turning to Lily, who was chatting happily with Tally and Dan about how "terrible" is it to not be able to speak for a month and two weeks and, more specifically, three days and nine hours. 'Oh Li~!!!!'

  'Shuddup! Okay, okay, fine, whatever! Just don't tell her!' James hissed, yanking hard at Adele's ponytail.

  'Whatever?' Sirius echoed innocently. 'Hey! Tinkerbell!' It wasn't loud enough to reach Lily, though. He was intending to torture James to the fullest extent. The face of shock and horror that Potter rarely displayed was pleasant. Besides, how often do you see James Potter _blushing_???

  'Hey! Hey!' James said urgently, also pulling him down. 'Whatever you like, okay?'

  'Whatever WE like?? You mean to say you LOATHE her??' Adele exclaimed in horror.

  'ALRIGHT! Fine! Anything to do between friends and fiancé! Your wish!' James cried, throwing his arms up.

  '_ONLY _friends?' Remus noted. 'Gee… now that, our parents must certainly know,' he decided.

  'Grr!!!' James tried the glare and the Look. It bounced off his friends. 'Okay, listen. Love only, okay? Get it? Topic finite!'

  Big mistake to be too detailed. James regretted that instantly. His friends seem to have grown horns and tails.

  'Aah… Love?' Remus grinned the Cheshire cat grin. 'Really?'

  'Enlighten us, my dear friend. What about love?' Sirius said. James shuddered.

  'Like,' he corrected them hastily. 'Only like. As A Friend.'

  'We won't tell,' Adele nudged.

  'Not now.'

  'Yes now.'

  'No.'

  'Good, we'll find my mum, then,' Sirius said. 'She'll dig it out of him!' He skipped towards the door. Lily saw the rest of the Marauders running after him (and James dragged?).

  'Hey! Wait for me!!!!!'

**

  'Understand that, Cephie, your "darling baby Tessie" is gone. She was – or is – Voldemort,' Melissa Black's crisp, bored-out voice floated to their ears. There was faint sobbing in the background. Sirius gingerly turned the doorknob.

  'YOU!!! YOU MURDER MY DAUGHTER!' a mad hysterical voice greeted the Marauders. They froze. It was Cephie, Neptune's wife. Lily stared blankly back in reply. Well, so much for a warm welcome.

  'Who's your daughter?' she asked. 'Tessie? She was _adopted_! Geez! Some people just don't know where they stand.'

  'You- you MURDERER! I- I'll get you placed in Azkaban!' Cephie shrieked, bouncing up and down violently. James wanly compared her to a lunatic.

  'Now, Cephie—'

  'Good girl, calm down now,' Sirius said soothingly.

  'MURDERER!!!!!!!'

  'Ah,' Lily said, 'now I have a lunatic after me.'

  'What?' Adele said, frowning at Lily. 'Can't you see that she's just too upset!

  'No, she's going mad,' James corrected. 'Scary, really. Voldemort sure has his way in dealing with emotions.'

  'Why, that cold hearted creep'—('Well YES! What do you expect? He's Voldemort!' Remus pointed out)—'I thought we were taught from the VERY start that brewing potions dealing with human emotions are illegal! What = no,_ how_ – on earth did he graduate from Hogwarts in the first place???' Sirius hissed, clenching his fists.

  'That's _why_ he's called the dark lord,' Remus said flatly.

  'Oh, yes, you're right.'

  'GIVE ME BACK MY DAUGHTER!!!!'

  '…' Adele stared as Melissa tried to calm the hysterical lady down.

  James remembered the reason they were here.

  'Uh, hey, since you're busy, we'll just ciao, kay?' James said, sending Sirius a calm smirk. 'Bye bye!!! Have fun… er, calming Cephie.' And he pushed the Marauders out of the room before Melissa could even ask why were they there in the first place.

  'Freaky,' Lily noted, referring to Cephie.

  'Well, it could've been worse,' Remus said, 'she could be trying to murder you.'

  'Good point. She did try to choke me just now, though. Is that a different case?'

  'Kind of.'

  A disturbingly silent pause echoed past them as the Marauders dragged boringly past the small garden. It's just a boring stout tree that no birds would go near to (because it's been an experimental tree made by some foul potion) and a few littered benches with half a leg or two gone.

  They stopped there. Just to take in the scenery. Sort of.

  'Why were we there anyway?' Lily asked suddenly.

  'Where?' Adele inquired.

  'At Melissa's room! And I was talking,' Lily said solemnly. 'Now she's going to owl my mum, yak some rubbish and maybe make me talk more! About Voldemort, you know.'

  'That's your hobby!!' Sirius laughed. The girl glared in reply.

  'Oh sure it is, Lily,' James grinned. Mentally, he sent a message: "Lily, we need a good talk about these busybodies!'

  Lily raised an eye and replied him mentally: "Oh."

  'You really loved talking,' James added lamely. "YES! Herbology greenhouse #2. On the roof."

  'It's not a crime!' Lily retorted. "As if being on the roof is going to draw any less spectators…"

  "Argh, who cares! See you there."

  "Git. Yu didn't even ask for my consent! Some fine fiancé you are."

  At this time, James and Lily were mentally throwing insults and physically glaring at each other in the eye. Sirius, Remus and Adele stared at them.

  'Hello!! Lovebirds!' Sirius called, hoping to draw their attention. They ignored him and looked quite near to choking each other. Must be the insults.

  'Love is deaf,' Remus snickered evilly. Adele coughed.

  "Alright, fine! You win!!!" Lily screamed (Mentally).

  "That's really kind of you," James beamed. "See you there!"

  What idiots, was all Adele mused to herself as Lily and James stormed off without a word to them. The two remaining boys stared after their "leader" and "next leader to Jimbo Potter" and exchanged glances.

  'What happened?'

  'I don't know. Glares?'

**

  'This had better be for a good reason,' Lily muttered, tugging her flapping robes to hug her body. She felt quite close to getting a cold. A bad bout of cold. 'We're having Quidditch practice soon, and we're NOT losing this year. I hope.'

  'Yes, yes, but I thought you wanted to know why we met Melissa just now, see?' James said.

  'Oh. So, why?'

  'Because our _good_ friends wanted to find out about our relationship,' James said, flustered. 

  Lily couldn't see the point. She sneezed. That was next best to her reply… hopefully.

  'And I think.. it's also time to find out how serious we are in this, too,' James said solemnly. 'Is it really for our parents' wishes? What about ours?' Lily just hugged herself, sit on the roof, made herself comfortable, and narrowed her eyes slightly at the choice of subject. James tapped his shoe against the green glass; 'Well?' Lily stared up at him.

  'I want to know why you're asking me this,' she said finally, smiling broadly. It scared James for a moment. Could be the smile.

  'Why?? There's a HUNDRED different reasons!'

  'There's got to be a short version to it, then.'

  He fell silent. 'Wait. I'm the one who's asking here! I want _your_ answer, Lily! What_do_you_feel_about_it_all?????' James demanded sharply.

  Lily shrugged. 'Dunno.'

  'What do you mean you "dunno"? What sort of answer is that?'

  'A very helpful one,' Lily suggested. 'Besides,' she went on, 'I'm having a personality crisis here, thanks to our good ol' Dark Lord's Tessie. I'm having loads of trouble balancing things.'

  'You could've been more practical with the answer!' James whined. 'Alright—'

  'You asked about my feelings on EVERYTHING!' Lily retorted. 'What am I, a psychologist that studies the mind or something? I'm a teenager – like YOU – and it's not like _you_ don't know how it is!'

  'Ah…' That makes sense. 'Alright, yep, sorry, I get it. So what do you feel about OUR RELATIONSHIP?' Lily let out a sneeze.

  'What should I feel about it?' Lily asked, blowing her nose into her tissue paper. 'You … want to break the engagement or something?'

  'Just answer me first, will you?' James breathed, impatient. Lily's getting hard to handle.

  'No, _you_ answer _me_ first. Why do you want to know?' Lily asked, stressing the syllables carefully.

  'Because I just want to, okay? Now answer me.'

  She refused to regard it an answer. 'If you asked me a question, you should know YOUR answer to that question, right? Think of it logically: this isn't some maths equation which you need help with the formula of. So tell me. Or I'm going to tear that barrier in your nice enclosed little mind space.' Lily smiled again. 'And I don't care if I hurt you at all.' The smile turned into a grin.

  James stopped pacing, and allowed the wind to whip his robes and displace his hair. He studied her. Lily had a point. And from that tone in her voice, she'd do whatever she said. She… didn't seem much like Lily, but she _is _Lily, or else she wouldn't be Lily…. But she's a little changed.

  'Well?' Lily challenged confidently.

  'You asked me, right?' James said slowly, deciding to lay his cards out carefully. 'So, you must also have your answer after I'd answer.'

  'Right, it's a deal.'

  The sun was slowly rising towards its normal place; it's twelve o' clock noon throne, right in the middle of the sky. James wondered dryly if he should invite her again when there's a full moon in the sky. Oh no, wait, there's the animagi business at that same time. Ouch.

  'I'm waaaaiiiiting,' Lily trilled.

  'Um, what was the question again?' James said with a weak grin.

  'What do you feel about our engagement. And why you ask me that, too.'

  James raised his eyes suspiciously. 'Are you sure the last bit's in the deal?' She nodded firmly.

  'I don't really want to be baked here, you know. Hurry up! And we've got Quidditch practise, too!'

  One thing James learnt (and was VERY SURE OF) in his life: confessions are hard. Especially the ones about emotions and all. To make matters worse, he'd been really accustomed to lie about it. That last bit would make everything five million times harder. Maybe ten million. Whatever. It's hard.

  'Well… I'm **okay** with it – the engagement thing,' he started. His throat felt dry and parched.

  'Why?' Lily asked.

  'I'm thirsty,' James blurted. Lily rolled her eyes.

  'Oh, you agreed to it because you're feeling thirsty? The fact, my dear James, is undeniably intelligent,' Lily said sarcastically.

  'Um, no, actually, I meant…!!! …! …!!!! **_…!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**' She almost laughed at James's facial expression.

  'See; you can't answer!' Lily beamed broadly. She stood up and sighed inwardly in relief. 'C'mon, Jam, let's just leave the question here. And we'll get you some water, too,' she said pleasantly.

  James, seeing nothing to it, dragged his feet after her as she skilfully hopped off the roof, ankle-length red hair waving after her teasingly.

-*-

  'ARGH!!!! Drat!!! Just a BIG more!' the figure hissed, snapping fingers in disappointment. The black robed had been spying the couple for an hour or so already, and was rather hoping that something would happen.

  Which didn't.

  'Have to rid Lily off her brains first,' the figure muttered thoughtfully, 'then get James Potter. This is going to be so _perfect_!' Silent cackle followed as the figure blended into the dark corner and then ran off.

-*-

  'Alright people, we're against Ravenclaw this time!' James said, banging his broomstick mercilessly on the ground. 'And—'

  'Don't treat your broom that way!' Remus snapped.

  'Okay, so what am I to do?' James asked sarcastically, cradling his broom; 'Oh darling sweetheart purple fragrances…???' The Gryffindor Quidditch team burst out laughing.

  The team this term consists of Captain James Potter (Chaser), Lily Evans (Chaser), Amanda Witt (Chaser, 3rd Year), Sirius Black (Beater), Pattempt Thore (Beater, 3rd Year), Remus Lupin (Keeper), and Jeremiah Chase (Seeker, 5th Year).

  'As I was saying, we're against Ravenclaw,' James repeated firmly when the laughing ceased.

  'We know,' Sirius said, rolling his eyes. James glared at him.

  'So NO DIRTY TRICKS from them, hopefully,' Lily sniffed.

  'That's from the Slytherins, I thought,' Jeremiah frowned. 'And Hufflepuffs—sometimes.'

  'Which was why I added _hopefully_.'

  'Their house – the Raven – might be airborne, but hey, no one says that lions can't fly!' James said, giving them a confident grin and a wink.

  'Griffins not included,' Adele muttered. 

  'So let's all win this match!!!!!'

  'YEAH!!!! The Quidditch Cup!!!' Pattempt cried eagerly. Him entering the team had, quite frankly speaking, horrified the four Marauders. He spent more time worshipping James and Remus and Sirius than fending the team members from the Bludgers.

  The heavy gate door swung open to the wide Quidditch Pitch. Solan Trift, Ravenclaw, was the commentator still. The crowds cheered.

  'And the Gryffindor losers are out!!!' he called out, in spite of himself, taking sides for his house. Professor McGonagall gave him a sharp warning, which he quickly acknowledge with a hasty remark. Adele, standing nearby, nearly charred the sixth year Ravenclaw. 'Ahem. I- I mean, the _mighty_ Gryffindors are out! Yeah! Really!! Captain James Potter, Chaser Evans, Chaser Witt, Beater Black, Beater Thore, Keeper Lupin aaaaaaand the lousy – EH!!!! Sorry, I mean COOL – Seeker Chase!!! The four –cough- infamous Marauders are in the team with a match against the EVEN MIGHTIER RAVENCLAW!!!'

  Cheers and boos (from certain houses, which are self-explanatory) erupted from the audiences as the Ravenclaw team filed out on their brooms.

  'Introducing Captain Minty Lite, Chaser Brown, Chaser Tanner, Chaser Hallton, Beater Philt, Beater de Gard aaaaaaand – GIVE A BIG CHEER, FOLKS! – the great Seeker, Gloves!!!!! Ravenclaw's the best team ever! Woohoo!!!!'

  'Takes sides again,' Adele muttered, cringing slightly. The little spot on her forehead was getting quite warm from the pent up anger. She pushed her attention towards the game. The captains had shook hands and the game had begun.

  'Potter makes a quick dash for the Quaffle, but Brown got hold of it first! – Yeah, go Selene! – she passes it to Tanner, who's at the scoring area… and…!?!?! DAMN YOU LUPIN!!!!!!!!!'

  McGonagall's crisp voice yelled over the microphone.

  'CIVILISE YOURSELF, TRIFT!'

  'Yes Professor, sorry Professor, aye aye Professor! Back on the game! Evans now takes possession of the Quaffle! She hands it to Witt, who shoots it towards Potter – hey, not a bad throw! Potter's about to send it into the basket… MINTY!!!!!! MINTY, STOP THAT BLOODY QUAFFLE!!! ARGH! NO!!!! GRYFFINDOR SCORES?!?!?!?! MINTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You could've been a bloody better—!'

  'TRIFT!!!!!' Professor McGonagall's voice boomed dangerously.

  'Um… sorry…'

  Adele muttered under her breath wishing furiously that she could place a spell on him. It was forbidden, though. She dismissed the thought with a sigh and stared as Sirius fended the Bludger from Pattempt, who was _still_ flying aimlessly.

  'Watch out, will you?' Sirius hissed. 'I can't save a whole Quidditch team from TWO Bludgers!'

  'Whoops,' Pattempt grinned apologeticly. Jeremiah was looking for the snitch above them, when his face brightened and he began swerving towards the referee for this match, Madam Hooch. Gloves (of Ravenclaw) trailed after him at an amazing speed.

  'Why's Jeremiah so slow?' James wondered, frowning, as he sent the Quaffle to Lily, who scored it … quite accidentally. She'd just turned over to face James's remark on the Seeker, and her broom happened to sent the red ball into one of the hoops. 30-30.

  Something caught James's eye. A bludger was coming towards Jeremiah and the two Beaters were just too far. James grited his teeth and dashed off.

  'James! Hey, James!!! Oy, POTTER!!!!!' Amanda yelled for his attention, grasping the Quaffle Lily had just thrown.

  James ignored her.

  Lily stared silently, a sombre look creasing her features as Jeremiah grasped the little winged snitch gleefully. James was heading towards Jeremiah's side, when the bludger smashed him forcefully on the nose, knocking the Gryffindor team captain off his broom.

  There wasn't time for wands. Or for a yell of warning or a shove. There wasn't time for magic. There wasn't even enough time to think.

  James Potter fell to the ground, unconscious, just as Solan Trift, in a disgruntled voice, announced Gryffindor winner, 180-30.

**

  There was a low chuckle of amusement.

  'That foolish boy. I had always known that he had that sort of thing in him. And now, with two of the main obstacles down, the three minor ones are next.' The nail kinked on the wood, annoyed.

  'Well, well. I had never expected that little twerp to unfold my plans THIS early. But it doesn't matter. The second round of the moon shall mark them well.' A low laugh sounded, the horrendously high tone echoed in the stonewall, as creepy crawlies dashed out of the old manor in fright, a thought in them.

--There's a psycho in there.

**

  The strong smell of stinking, disgusting boiled herbs wafted into his nose, instantly awaking his senses almost at once. The brown eyes shot open, red filling its usual whites, as he yelled "GET THAT DISGUSTING SMELL OFF ME!!!'

  'Gee, okay, okay! At least Lily wasn't kidding when she said that you'll be cranky when you get up,' Adele's voice giggled. The was a shuffle of long robes as the smell wafted off, leaving only pleasant … what's this smell? Peach?

  'Hey Potter, are you okay? Sorry, I didn't notice that Bludger,' Jeremiah's quiet tone muttered. 'Got too caught up in catching the snitch, see.'

  'We'd won, though!' Remus's voice trilled happily. James stared on. For some unclear reason to him, his ears seem to twitch at every sound, as if they were catching every wavelength. And the smell was still… strong, although it's not medicine.

  'How…? Where are all of you? Why's it so dark anyway? It is night, or maybe it's just a game you're playing?' James demanded crossly.

  'Look at him! Poor Prongs ol' boy. Stupid, you're not wearing your glasses!' Sirius chided. He handed James his black round glasses. James just stared on stupidly. Huffing, Sirius pushed it into his hands. The boy placed it on his nose.

  And he blinked.

  'BLEHH!!!' Adele shrieked, sticking her tongue out at him. Then she laughed. 'Scared?'

  'Are you _sure_ you aren't playing a joke? Who painted my lenses???' James demanded again, 'cause it's NOT funny at all.'

  'Hey…?' Remus said slowly, holding his hand in front of his friend's face. James's dark brown eyes stared right on, not the least bit disturbed.

  'Where's Lily?' James asked abruptly, realising that Lily wasn't anywhere near.

  'Evans?' Amanda echoed. 'Well, she went back to her dorm.'

  'Yeah, said something about Divination or something.' Pattempt piped confidently, 'Lily's sure to know what's happened!'

  'If she doesn't, it's the end of the world,' James muttered.

  The doorknob turned and a girl with a high ponytail stepped in.

  'James,' Lily said quietly, 'nice try with the bravery thing, but your sight would be… disturbed.  About a few weeks though, if you're unlucky. If you're lucky – I mean, if Sirius can manage it PATIENTLY – you might have it in a week.'

  So much for Lily's idea of drama, was James's subconscious thought when his lips yelled '**_WHAAAAAAAAAT???_**'

____________________________________________________________________________________

AN: I made another random try at the ending ^^;; then again, I can't complain on how my brain INSISTED that it should be really confusing. It's my head anyway. Been arguing with myself too much. Anyway, I did _okay_ for my mid-year exam… so I'm not grounded from the computer!!!! Huzzah! Huzzah!! Huzzah!!! Being the top ten in class has loads of advantages!! *grins broadly*

 I'll make this short, and probably add some… stuff in my notes. My notebook has been FLOODING with my little doodles of manga characters and all these TMF notes! Scary, really.

 Do my poor head a favour, please, and tell me what you think of this chapter…? *puppy eyes* pleaaaase? hehe ^_^

Oh, and people. Much as I want to say "I WANT 20 REVIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER OR NO CHAPTER 5!!!!!" and a lot more exclamation marks, I won't. see? I'm such a nice person! *sniffles* but anyway, the reason why I wanted to say it was because nearly everyone else I know seem to say it! :P lol!

 _hip hop hip hop hip hop—plop!! Argh, how'd that stone get in the way of a rabbit's path????_ ~bunny chan [from one of my many doodles in my chemistry book]


	5. Metamorphosis

**_Note of Considerable Importance_**: Firstly, let's just say that if you look from my point, this'll be taking a wonderful turn of a mountain end's ride. Dos, I'm not at all responsible for this late chapter: the Marauders are. They had the cheek to spoil ALL my advanced math books, and not let me write at all, because they were jealous [Sirius: Hey, NOT jealous!]. I didn't get to write this earlier because of them. Tres, I kinda just recovered from a full-blown depression, sooo… —_bunny chan_

Disclaimer: To whomever in question, the Marauders, Hogwarts, all don't belong to bunny chan. In fact, the only thing she owns is just the Marauders [uhm, their personality, at least], Loopy Village [which she doubts exist], minor characters and Adele Varens ^_^ those mage stuff are my conjurations, so don't you DARE mess with them!

____________________________________________________________________________________

The Marauding Five : Year Seven 

Chapter 5: Metamorphosis 

  Lily stared calmly at the pool of water before her. The cheerful twinkle that had been in her eyes have long faded into tiny shimmers of the faintest stars. Gone were the happy carefree days where Lily Trenna (that pest!) had reigned in her mind. Now the subjected Lily is left on her own to struggle with the looming consequences of the acts twenty-five years ago.

  At this moment, it is personality that's in control of the mind. No more wild instincts, and definitely no-no nonsense.

  The Lily Evans—calm, cool and collected. Written long in old scrolls that her friends and her powers shall rule, should not their past had interfered so stubbornly.

  She bore her jade-green eyes into the scrying pool, silently wondering if it were really worth it at all, just a little glimpse into an unhazy future.

  Her dream flashed violently before her, shaking her roughly.

  Clenching the dagger she had gotten from Adele's house in her hand, she held her breath. It was. With utmost care, she brought the tip to her left wrist and carefully tore the ivory skin if her wrist, watchful for the deadly vein that might lead to over-bleeding.

  Dark red dripped into the pool of clear spring water and colours swirled in spiral patterns.

**

  'YES! The spell's ready now!!!' Sirius cried excitedly. It was only four days ago when James had woken up from the bludger's skull bash to discover that his sight was lost. It was temporary, but kinda traumatic to the boy.

  'Are you _sure_?' James asked doubtfully. 'Because Lily said it'll take AT LEAST a week before I can get my vision back. You'd better be very sure about it!'

  'Hey, I'm absolutely POSITIVE!!!' Sirius retorted. 'Look, I'm not a dunce when it comes to Potion brewing—I'm a genius. Get it?' Sirius had felt quite tempted to add in, 'and that's why Voldemort wants me too, hah,' but wisely kept it sealed.

  'I don't believe you at all,' James said firmly, folding his arms.

  'You'd better not,' Remus said, nodding in agreement. 'Whaddyou know, he might have it all wrong!!!'

  'Hey!! Trust me, will you?' Sirius snapped. He scooped some of the pinkish red congey-like… thing… from the school cauldron (his cauldron had blown up a week ago). 'Say aaah, Jimmy-boy!'

  'Un!' James growled, tightening his lips resolutely.

  'Gee, what's the commotion this morning…?' Dan moaned in annoyance, awaking from his bed. He stared at Sirius who was trying to feed James, who was in a muggle wheelchair ('I'm NOT invalid!' 'James, you can't bang into things all the time!'), something disgusting. Actually, it wouldn't quite fit into the "something" category. It looked quite out of the world.

  'I don't think it looked… right,' Thomas McMillan said slowly.

  'Rubbish! C'mon James! You know you want to see the Jack-o'-Lanterns, don't you?' Sirius said in a most persuasive voice. Remus, who was in charge of caring for James's well-being since the "accident" looked doubtfully at the gooey thing in the cauldron.

  'Why don't we get Lily here?' James suggested weakly. 'She would know.'

  'Gah, I'm **the** expert here! Lily's stupid at potions, remember???'

  'Evans's going to resent that a lot,' Dan noted. 'Maybe enough to kill you, even. Hahaha! Seriously!' He paused, and glanced at James. 'Tell you what, I'll do you a favour and get Lily for you. I'm going to surprise my fiancée this morning!' He winked and opened the oak door, grinning goofily.

  'Lily??? You here????' Adele shrieked, entering as soon as the lock was unlatched. The occupants of the dorm jumped. Sirius dropped the ladle on Remus's hair and Dan scurried to his bed, frightened to the point where he paled like a sheet of paper.

  'W-What?' Thomas stammered, gulping his fright.

  'Lily! Where's she?' Adele demanded. 'Is she here???'

  'We were about to look for her,' Dan stuttered, breathing heavily as he hadn't recovered from his shock yet.

  Adele took time off from her hysteria and eyed him. 'YOU look for HER for WHAT?'

  'Sirius claimed that he did the potion already,' James said sarcastically, trying to roll his eyes. Somehow, it didn't seem right, with the blank look in those pupils and irises. 'For good reasons, none of us believed him.'

  'So where's Lily?' Remus asked.

  'I'm looking for her,' Adele started, taking a deep breath. 'She's been rather weird these days.' The girl let out a heavy sigh.

  'She's always weird,' Dan muttered notedly.

  'No! I mean, she's weirder than ever!' the pale girl insisted. 'She has this recurring nightmares and she's often… how do I put it, _VANISHED_!'

  'Vanished…?' That one's new. Lily hasn't vanished before. Well, not to the point where her friends couldn't find her, which is REALLY vanishing.

  'Yeah!'

  'Where do you think she is then?' Remus asked, frowning a bit.

  'She'd be back at this time, usually,' Adele rattled nervously, fidgeting. 'But I couldn't find her at all! D'you think she's in some kind of trouble or something?'

  No one voiced over this.

  'Dan, Thomas, can you two please leave?' James asked in a calm voice. The two boys frowned in confusion, but nodded, and left the room.

  'Aha. Well?' Sirius asked.

  'I think she's discovering it.'

  'Discovering? Discovering WHAT? What could there be to discover anyway??? Lost pirate treasures?'

  'Be serious, would you?!' Adele snapped sharply, hitting him on his head.

  James decided to ignore them. 'Remember when I got hit by the Bludger?' James said.

  'Yeah, all too clearly…' Sirius muttered.

  'Shut up and listen, Sirius!' Adele snapped again.

  '_Anyway_,' James said, stressing for attention, 'Lily told me that Voldemort had counted on my getting knocked.'

~*~

  "James, your lost of sight is not an accident caused by a harmless bludger," Lily said, "it was _planned_. Planned by Voldemort, to be precise. He knew that you'd save Jeremiah, being the nearest to him... and being who you are deep down."

  "Umhm… Yeah, and so.—what? Deep WHAT?"

  "Deep DOWN. Down, down, DOWN."

  "Whatever. Anyway. I'd never counted on helping Jeremiah, actually," James said, scratching his head. "I don't know why I did anyway, but it's good. Huh?" Lily stared into his eyes. Nothing much, really, since he's blind.

  "The five Maggles had fallen to their deaths, as reported twenty-so years ago, on April. I checked with them, but they couldn't remember. So I did a research. D'you know when they die, James?" Lily whispered, staring out the Infirmary window.

  "Er, April?"

  "They dies… as soon as they reached Hogwarts, on September first. They were found only in April."

  "What?! But- but everyone said that--!"

  Lily tied her long hair up. "Maybe someone mind-wiped everyone, or created a clone of them, or something just as bizarre. Prob'ly Voldemort himself…?" She paused. "Don't you feel different, after entering Hogwarts? It feels just like an oddly dead place, right? Deadly _unfamiliar_, so to say. And hadn't you noticed how your magic had suddenly flared up for no reason?" she pressed. "Haven't you realized… that we have all changed?"

  "We're always changing, aren't we?" James said in utter confusion. "It's normal!"

  "No, we're regaining our REAL nature, James," Lily said quietly. James didn't like the feel of her eyes on her. He slumped. Too bad he couldn't give _her_ the same dead glare, too.

  "Oh yeah?"

  She ignored him. "For the last sixteen years, we've been overpowered by the Maggles, see? We're NOT supposed to be playing pranks; we're supposed to be heightening our senses and magic."

  "Sure, sure… so, what made you came to this conclusion, Sherlock?"

  "…Would you STOP fooling around, James?! This is SERIOUS!!!!"

  "I know, which is why I'm asking you!"

  "Shut up and listen! Sheesh! As I was saying…"

  "You mean as you were TRYING to continue before you were interrupted by—"

  "JAMES!"

  "Okay, okay!"

  "RIGHT. Now. Tessie. Yes. Okay, I realised when I got burned by my own flames"—James sniggered mockingly at this. "Potter, you seriously don't want to be PERMANENTLY blind, do you?" He shook his head abruptly. "Now I'm a**wake**, so…"

  James laughed out loud, annoying Lily tremendously.

  "LISTEN, you nitwit! We're not supposed to be playing pranks—that was the Maggles' time! OUR job is to fight Voldemort, get it? We're destined—_forced_—to do it. You have to help me! You have to help the rest discover all of these! I've been having nightmares for years, faintly at first. Now, after what'd happened to you and me, I get what it means (well sorta)."

  James blushed slightly when he felt Lily holding his hand.

  "You're awaking. You know it, too, _deep_ inside. We need to get Adele, Remus and Sirius to realize it before they learn it the hard way. Our way. Voldemort mustn't get them—mustn't!"

~*~

  'Izzat… what's happening?' Adele gulped. 'We're actually changing?'

  'Hope not,' Sirius muttered, 'I'm quite content with who I am, actually.'

  'Sirius,' James said seriously, 'Lily said that you've got magic in you, too. And she didn't mean the secondary Psychic though—that one'll leave you as soon as you, uh, "wake" up. Mine went bye bye already.' James thought for a while, as if recollecting something. Sirius stared at his best friend, wide-eyed and hopeful. 'I think it's pink magic.'

  'PINK?!?!?!?!' Sirius screeched. James laughed as Sirius tried to strangle him. 'Why PINK?!'

  'Nah! I was just kidding! Just kidding!! Sirius! I WAS JUST KIDDING! STOP SHAKING ME!' James choked, coughing and spluttering as Remus pulled the mad boy aside. James took in deep breaths.

  'So WHAT is it?'

  'It's the –gasp- Yellow Magic –cough cough- ackshualliee… no, not common, in fact, very rare. Involves your ability to speak and understand animals, with an addition of…'

  'Of what? Of what?' Sirius asked eagerly, hopping around.

  'Of granting things. If trained, that it.' (Sirius fell onto his bed, dead discouraged) 'I don't know what Li meant, though, but I doubt she knew what she meant either!' James laughed, rolling his eyes. For a moment, it seemed as if his sight was returned. His eyes glowed from its dull looks as boyish cheerfulness shined through it.

  'Anyway, I think Lily's right,' Remus said thoughtfully. 'I do feel the change, but I'm not really sure of it, though. Isn't there anything else?'

  'Er… I don't think so.'

  'You don't _think_ so,' Adele echoed, almost accusingly. 'Maybe if you had actually LISTENED to her, you wouldn't have thought of saying that, ne James my pal?'

  James fidgeted slightly, tapping his head. 'I… think she said something about watching out your backs? Er. Uhm, since you all know what to expect, I guess we'll look for Lily now,' James said brightly, quite anxious for Lily's safety and whereabouts.

  'Worried for your darling betrothed fiancée, hm?' Adele said, smiling. 'But yeah, good point, we'd better find her, in case she's in some trouble or other.'

  Sirius snorted. 'Whenever is _Lily_ in trouble? She's probably snoring over the library books!'

  'Who's snoring on the library books?' Lily snapped, scowling blackly at all four of them. 'As if I'd snore over the dusty, ugly, foul-smell library books!' She turned her nose up at an imaginary library book.

  'Where'd you go?' Adele asked.

  'For a walk.'

  'Oh, do you think this is the spell?' Remus said, immediately pushing the pink-porridge-like result of Sirius's brewing. Lily's eyes widened to the size of the cauldron.

  'Wow, what's this, a new sort of breakfast?'

  'Er, not exactly...'

  'So what in Merlin's name is this, then???'

  'Which was why we were looking for you,' Adele added sweetly, smirking in Sirius's face. He looked pretty much offended.

  'It's the potion,' the boy said indignantly, 'technically. I'm right, aren't I? C'mon James, eat it!'

  'No way I'm going to eat your poison!' James yelled, tightly pursing his lips again.

  Lily stifled a laugh. 'How 'bout Sirius try it first?' she suggested logically, a mischievous glint in her eyes. 'We'll know if it works or not, by seeing what colour his face turns into!'

  'Hey, yeah! Right!' Remus agreed brightly. He scooped a huge spoonful – er, ladleful – of the potion (porridge, or whatever it is) and advanced to Sirius. Sirius backed away slowly. Somehow, Lily's glint had scared him even more than the phrase 'what colour his face turns into'. He gulped.

  'Chaaaarge!!!!!!!' James yelled as Remus dunked the whole gooey thing into Sirius's mouth and forced him to swallow it.

  The effect was startlingly amusing.

  Sirius had sprouted a pair of purple arms and legs. Then he turned purple all over.

**

  'It's all your fault! You dumped it into my mouth! See! I can't make the potion anymore!' Sirius cried, shaking his right fists at Remus, who laughed heartily in reply.

  'Whew! Thank goodness I didn't eat it,' James breathed.

  'Now I look like a spider that's disguising as a grape!' Sirius wailed loudly. Adele hushed him.

  'You don't look like a spider,' the girl said, hoping that it would comfort him. Sirius yelled louder.

  'That's because I'm **LARGE** and I'm **PURPLE**!!!'

  'Well, that's another point,' Lily smirked. 'So when do you think you'll be okay enough to start brewing again?' Sirius couldn't even stand up straight. He had to lie down flat. On his stomach. And he hated it. He growled menacingly at Lily.

  'In two weeks,' Madam Pomfrey said cheerfully, carrying a spoon of green powder.

  'Why so long?' James asked in horror.

  'He put fourteen mandrake leaves in there,' the nurse said, shaking her head, 'thus the effect will go in fourteen days. I can't put another spell in him without extending the, er, potion's effect.'

  'Look at the mess you got us into,' Remus sighed, frowning. Sirius glared at him.

  'Well, I wasn't expecting to be FED with it.'

  'I can make James's potion for him,' Pomfrey offered kindly, looking at James. 'I don't have the ingredients and instructions, though.'

  'You can? Really?' Adele said excitedly. 'Lily! She—'

  'Yes, yes, I heard everything,' Lily said irritably. 'I'll get those stuff later.'

  'Now. I want to see as soon as possible!' James demanded. 'C'mon Lily! Please?'

  'I'm lazy!' the redhead whined. 'Dreadfully tired, too!'

  'No one asked you to wake up early! Hurry up!'

  'No. I'm tired,' Lily said firmly, pouting like a little girl. 'Maybe Adele can get it. It's in the trunk under… you know, Adele. The password's still the same, and the key… I, uh, think it's in my pillow. Sorta. You'll either find it somewhere in the feathers or on my bed. Kay?'

  Adele was about to retort when she felt James's temporarily blind eyes flaring coldly at her. She let out a choke of nervous laughter. 'Uh, sure, sure, anything! I, um, go now.' She shot out at once, no enthusiastic in facing James's death glares. They're twice more effective than Lily's (when they're REALLY mad), which is really saying much.

  'What's wrong with your wrist?' Remus asked curiously, staring at Lily's bandaged left wrist. Lily dropped her robes sleeves.

  'Nothing.'

  'Yeah, sure it's nothing,' Sirius said sarcastically. Lily had a sudden unexplained urge to punch his face. She would have, but James caught her left arm before it smashed Sirius's stupidly grinning face. She scowled.

  'Now Miss Evans, let's see your wrist,' Madam Pomfrey said, pulling back the sleeves.

  'No. It's, um, okay,' she said, fighting to release James's grip of her arm. When had he been so strong??? She pulled more. He tightened it. Lily could imagine her arm turning blue and purple, from the cold numbness she was feeling in her fingers. Remus unwound the bandage.

  'Have you been cutting yourself?' Sirius asked in surprise and fear, staring at the wound Lily opened that morning.

  'No, I was just checking, okay?' she said impatiently. 'James, my arm's going to be dysfunctional soon if you don't _let me go!_'

  'Sorry,' he said, smiling. Lily wondered if he were mad. No. Maybe it's just his metamorphosis turning in.

  'What were you checking?' Remus asked, as Pomfrey brought in the antiseptic and green herbs. 'That you have blood?'

  'Nothing,' Lily replied stonily. She seemed to have distanced herself. Then she snapped back. 'Adele's taking too long, right? It should take her only about ten minutes, ever since we'd discovered those hidden passages!'

  'Yeah,' Sirius said, eating an apple. 'Hey Remus, why don't you check on her?'

  'What about you?' Remus asked.

  'I can't walk,' Sirius pointed out, 'besides I don't wanna crawl all over!'

  'You mean you don't want to embarrass yourself,' James sniggered. 'Besides, I'm blind.'

  'And Poppy's putting stuff on Lily's wrist,' Sirius added. Lily snorted as she stifled her comment on Sirius's wart-growing face. Funny how his potion react to the human body.

   'Fine, fine, I get your message,' Remus sighed. 'I'll be right back, then!' he chipped, smoothing his robes' creases.

  'Bye!!! Don't miss us too much!'

**

  Remus walked idly down the dark dripping-with-moss passage, wondering why on earth the founders had forgot to decorate this one with flowery pictures and firestands. Instead, it has all sorts of funny-coloured plants growing from the stone walls. And a whole lot more creepy crawlies that have too many legs.

  Maybe Adele decided not to take this passage, and used the long way. There's way too many arachnids here for her liking.

  The bright blue flames in his hand dimmed. Remus fed more of his magic into it. Light flared, blinding him.

  'Oops, too much,' he mumbled.

  His sharp ears caught something that didn't sound quite right.

_Drip… drip…_

  Being rather curious, he walked on. He stumbled over something.

  'Aaargh!' he yelled, his cry echoing the dark long passageway. He knelt over something soft. Holding the luminous blue flames over the something, his eyelids picked up.

  'Adele?' he gasped.

  There was a soft _tap-tap_, and a sickening crunch. The bow fell onto the mud-based floor with a soft thud. The blue fire in his right hand that fed on his magic like fuel winked out of existence, and darkness hungrily swallowed the remains of any stray flickers.

**

  'They're not back yet,' Lily stated, glancing her watch for the umpteenth time. 'What's stowing them? One hour! How long d'you need, huh, to just get a piece of paper and a small pouch?'

  'Maybe they're chatting,' Madam Pomfrey suggested helpfully.

  'Taking their own sweet time?' James added. Lily's jade eyes flashed.

  'No. I'm going to find them,' Lily said firmly, a tinge of fear in her voice. Suppose… suppose Voldemort got them? As he had promised?

I plan to eliminate the both you of first; you, Evans, and Potter. And then the meddlesome Adele Varens would be next. The werewolf, soon after, and lastly is the Yellow One.

  She gulped. If Adele and Remus are attacked, that leaves just one…

  'Hey Lily, you okay?' Sirius asked. 'You're turning white.'

  'James, watch out for Sirius,' Lily choked. 'I'm going to get them. Just _stay here_ and don't go anywhere at all!' With that, she ran out, Tessie's childish voice echoes replaying in her mind continuously as she sprinted down the passage behind the painting of a saint.

_I plan to eliminate the both you of first; you, Evans_…

  Lily felt a ghostly sensation of her own magic, lapping her skin its merciless white tongues.

            _And Potter…_

  The image flashed past her eye. James forcefully thrown off his broom. Lily squeezed her eyes shut.

            _And then the meddlesome Adele Varens would be next…_

  She slowed her feet gradually, coming upon a hump. She bent over Adele's unconscious form, which seemed to have the Cruciatus curse placed on her.

            _The werewolf, soon after…_

  Next to Adele was Remus, his sandy hair drenched in deep red blood.

            _And lastly is the Yellow One._

**

  'You're awake,' Adele stated dully when Sirius opened his eyes. He smelled the bitter medicine Madam Pomfrey was brewing, and the smell of… roast potatoes?

  'I smell food!!!' he exclaimed, sitting up like a springboard. 'Roast potatoes!'

  'Yep! We just roast them this morning,' Lily said cheerfully. 'Hagrid raked the leaves and the elves gave us some sweet potatoes! Thought it'd be a nice wake-up food for you three.'

  'Mmm…! Deee-licious! I tell you, we hadn't had roast potatoes since we were ten!' James added happily, licking his lips. 'Good thing Sirius's mum remembered how to roast them. Else, we'll end up having a basketful of _those_!' he crowed and doubled over with laughter, pointing shakily at a burnt-to-crisp potato which Lily and James's owl, Lotus and Jackpot, are pecking. 'Lily did that. Failure, obviously.' He laughed again.

  'Ah, you can see already?' Remus asked, blearily rubbing his eyes.

  'Naturally. You three were out for a week and a half!'

  'WHAT?!'

  'Yeah,' Lily said, somewhat dully. 'Albus was wondering what's happening to us all and Melissa freaked out. Sorry, I didn't get to help you all out.'

  Adele gazed at her best friend, who was staring – no, _glaring_ – at a piece of parchment in her hand. The room was oddly silent.

  'Act of coleslaw!' Sirius yelled.

  'Oh yeah? What're you going to make me do?' Lily challenged. 'I'm HeadGirl!'

  'Uh…'

  'Aha! There you are! Now lay back and rest,' James grinned.

  'What happened anyway?' Remus asked, trying to recall his memories. All he remembered was a dark passage and a dim blue light. Oh yeah, and his head hurt like a cracked egg. He had a vague feeling how Humpty Dumpty must have felt, when he fell off the wall.

  'I'm not quite sure about you two, but as soon as Lily and Poppy left Sirius's room, he began to yell,' James said to Remus and Adele. Then he turned to Sirius. 'I didn't see what happened to you, but Poppy said that something got you—some spell, more like it.'

  'Ah,' Sirius frowned, not pleased at all.

  'Adele got the Cruciatus curse and Remus got thunked on the head,' Lily explained. 'It wasn't a pretty sight.'

  The three of them stared at their hands, quite speechless for a few reasons.

Number One: They got attacked.   
Number Two: What the--?! They got ATTACKED???   
Number Three: _THEY_ GOT _ATTACKED_?!?!   
Number Four: WHERE'S OUR PRIDE?!?!?!?!

  'Now I'm trying to se if Voldemort has anything else up his robes,' Lily said, noticing them gripping their sheets, quite ready to tear it.

  'So, what were you doing the other day, cutting your wrist?' Remus asked.

  'I was… uh, how d'you put it… scrying,' she whispered. 'Apparently, it wasn't much that I can see, only a few blur visions of a huge fire.'

  'WHAT?! Lily, that's _forbidden!_' Adele hissed.

  Lily grinned smugly. 'Gee, why didn't I know?'

  'I mean, with blood, and all the strength it could've drained from you...! It's amazing you're not DEAD yet, Evans!'

  'I don't look dead, do I? Besides, I'm the great Lily Evans! How could I have died that easily?' Lily smirked.

  'It's not funny,' James said, crossing his arms.

  'I didn't say it was. But you have to admit, I AM great!' Lily persisted.

  'Yeah, yeah, sure you are. Greater than an ant,' Remus said boringly, waving his hand. 'Hey, can I have a potato?'

  'No! You insulted me!' Lily said, sticking out her tongue at him.

  'Not fair!!!!! Lily!!!'

  'What's that?' Sirius asked, pointing at the parchment Lily was holding.

  'That's something we're deciphering!' James replied proudly.

  'Really? What'd you get?' Adele asked eagerly.

  'Nothing yet.'

  '…'

  'I think it's something important, cause it's stuck in my head when Tessie – er, Voldemort, I mean – say it to me,' Lily explained, unfolding the parchment. Lily's small writing read as follow:

I plan to eliminate the both you of first; you, Evans, and Potter. And then the meddlesome Adele Varens would be next. The werewolf, soon after, and lastly is the Yellow One. A perfect thing that I had planned.

  The three Marauders shuddered involuntarily.

  'It sounded … normal,' Remus commented bluntly, not going to admit that he felt funny.

  'Yes, but I have a feeling that Voldemort has something on his mind besides just injuring us,' Lily murmured. 'Something tells me that we're being marked…'

  James let out a sudden cry, jumping up from his seat.

  'I get it!' he cried. Then he paused. 'Or at least, I think I did.'

  'Go on,' Lily encouraged.

  'Three of us were attacked at the same time,' James said, picking up a ballpoint pen nearby. He tapped the first three words, and underlined the fourth.

  'Eliminate,' Adele said outloud.

  'Yes. Four of us have coloured magic. Lily's white magic isn't in, because it's also known as the colourless magic,' James continued, tapping the next four words. He underlined the fifth.

  'First.'

  'There are five of us…' Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap. 'Six of whom Voldemort's aware of: Professor Dumbledore, and the five of us…' The tapping went on. The others nodded, following him. 'Seven magic in all that he's dealing with: Black, white, red, blue, yellow, psychic and elemental (wand-waving magic).

  'And finally,' James concluded, 'eight times in total that he has attacked us.'

  'Eight?' Adele said quizzically.

  'Our third year (that's first), but you weren't there,' Sirius said, 'then our episodes with Professor Corn, also third yea, which is number two. Then there's the shapeshifter. Three. Plus all five of our individual attacks this tern, it sums up to eight.'

  'Ah…'

I plan to eliminate the both you of first; you, Evans, and Potter. And then the meddlesome Adele Varens would be next. The werewolf, soon after, and lastly is the Yellow One. A perfect thing that I had planned.

  'Eliminate first then next the planned,' Lily murmured.

  'That planned? 'Remus frowned. 'He just "eliminate" us, so what could be NEXT?'

  'Something unpleasant, that's for certain,' Sirius contributed.

  'Like I don't know!' Remus snorted. 'But _what_?'

  'His plan,' James said bluntly. 'Naturally.'

  'Well,' Adele sighed, 'I guess we'd all better watch out. Like Lily said, we're probably marked already.

____________________________________________________________________________________

AN: whee! *grins evilly* if those five BRATS think this is the best I can do, they're WRONG! HAH. *glances sheepishly around* uhm, sorry, the Marauders and I are having a sort of… disagreement [more of jealousy on their parts] ^_^;

  Actually, I'd not planned on putting the last part in, but when it comes to "oh no, where will I put it, then?", I changed my mind… besides, it's nothing special anyway :P just something to, oh, torture myself on ^_^

  I'm just recovering from the last bout of depression… _ and yes, I'll let you all yell at me this time. Go on, spit all you like.


	6. Stars Beneath The Waning Moon

Disclaimer: To whomever in question, the Marauders, Hogwarts, all don't belong to bunny chan. In fact, the only thing she owns is just the Marauders [uhm, their personality, at least], Loopy Village [which she doubts exist], minor characters and Adele Varens ^_^ those mage stuff are my conjurations, so don't you DARE mess with them!

____________________________________________________________________________________

The Marauding Five : Year Seven 

Chapter 6: Stars Beneath The Waning Moon 

  'Ha-ha-ha-achoo!!!' Adele sneezed.

  'What's wrong with you? You've been outdoors only during Remus's transformation, and we're at the shack then, with loads of fur,' Sirius snapped, looking up his comic book. 'And that's just _three days_.'

  'I'm sensitive,' Adele muttered, sneezing again. 'Speaking of Remus, where'd he go again? He promised to help me with my Transfiguration.'

  'Are you dense or what?' Sirius said hotly. 'Where else would he be after a transformation BUT at the Infirmary? Stupid!'

  'He fell off his bed this morning. The wrong side, it so happens,' James whispered to Adele.

  'Which side's the wrong side?' Adele asked.

  'The wrong side, of course!'

  'Yes, but WHICH?'

  'The WRONG one.'

  'Okay, WHICH WRONG ONE?'

  'There's only one wrong one and one right one,' Lily piped in. 'I woke up on the right one!' she announced bubbly.

  'Uh, yeah, okay. You woke up at the left side of the bed…' Adele said thoughtfully. 'Does that means that… the left side is the right side? Or is it the other way round? Or- or—argh!!!!! I'm confused!!!!!! HACHOO!'

  'Bless you,' Lily said.

  'Thank YOU-CHOO!!!!'

  'Bless you again.'

  'It's not a blue moon this month, is it?' Sirius asked, groaning. 'I don't feel like I can take anymore of these. How on earth Remus bear with it????'

  'Dunno. But I know we'll be having a nice sleep tonight! I feel the urge to eat bamboo shoots each time I transform,' Adele said cheerfully. 'Achoo!'

  'Snow…' Lily murmured quietly, staring out the misty window thoughtfully. 'Is it going to snow again…?'

  'Call the weather forecast stations,' Sirius advised.

  'It's been snowing for three days already,' James noted, joining Lily at the windowsill. 'Ever since the second day of the full moon.'

  'And it's CHRISTMAS tomorrow!!!' Adele cried, pleased at the very thought of getting presents. 'Yay! Presents!!!! ACHOO!'

  'Christmas…' Lily echoed in the same far-away tone. 'Yeah, Christmas!' she said, in a much brighter manner.

  'See, even Lily traded her moody thoughts for it!' Adele cheered. 'Christmas is the best season, after all, since we get presents and food and… TURKEY!!!!'

  'Are you thinking about Thanksgiving?' Sirius said accusingly.

  'They both have turkey,' Adele concluded smugly. 'Hogwarts seem kinda empty this year, doesn't it? I keep hearing my own echoes down the empty hallways.'

  'That's cause everyone wants to be at home during Christmas,' James said matter-of-factly, 'and besides, Voldemort has been silent lately. D'you think he's working on his plan? You know, the one he said in his message.'

  'I wouldn't know,' Lily shrugged, pulling out her crystal ball. 'Here, why don't you gaze in it and tell me what you see?'

  The three Marauders squinted at the divination tool.

  'It's… all fog,' Sirius said doubtfully. 'Does it mean that it's gonna snow again?'

  'Could it be because you're bad at Divination?' Adele mocked with a smug.

  'No, it's just fog!' James protested. 'That's just it! Loads and loads of fog!'

  'You're bad too, Jimmy,' Adele scorned.

  'Actually, Adele, it really _is_ just fog,' Lily said, laughing.

  'Eh? You mean it's not their stupidity?'

  'We resent that!' the boys snapped.

  'The outcome is totally unpredictable,' Lily said, carefully keeping the crystal ball in its cushioned box.

  'Talk about luxury for just a astrology took,' Adele said sarcastically.

  'You mean you want her to just dump your present to her into her bag, like how she throws her books in?' James asked. 'That can be fixed…'

  'No!!!! I spent 50 galleons on it!' Adele screeched. 'Achoo!'

  'We know, we know,' James hummed.

  'If you do, you won't try to spoil it!' she retorted.

  'I didn't!'

  'You _tried_ to!'

  'But he didn't,' Sirius snapped.

**

  'They would be far beyond control of themselves, not being able to adjust to their metamorphosis… and THEN, they shall be MINE! HAHAHAHAHAHA!' the low hissing voice murmured to himself eagerly. 'They **will** be mine.' Then he sneered.

  Lord Voldemort fingered the white marble pieces lying on the old chessboard before him. It showed not even a single trace of being a wizard's chess.

  'Adele Varens…' the Rook jumped up, as if alive, and moved forward.

  'Remus Lupin…' the Knight slid to the middle of the board.

  'Sirius Black…' the Bishop joined the two before it.

  'Lily Evans…' the Queen reluctantly went to the three pieces.

  'James Potter…' There was a pause. The King refused to budge. Voldemort grabbed it and glued it forcefully to the middle of the board. Literally.

  'Heh. And my pets… the pawns,' the Dark Lord resumed. 'Let's see if you have cracked my little riddles yet. Let's see your _metamorphosis_, and let's see how you bow to me…' He punctuated it with one of his obsessive mad laughter.

  Black shadows shuffled behind him, cackling soundlessly to themselves.

**

  'Ha-choo!!!'

  'Where in Merlin's name did you go to, Adele Varens, to catch a _pneumonia_???' Lily demanded crossly.

  'I don't know!' Adele sniffed in self-pity. 'Does it take _that _long to understand _such_ a **simple** statement?? Geez! And you're supposed to be the fastest to grasp things!'

  'Hmph!' Lily huffed grumpily as she moved on to empty her prank trunk #2 (#1 was emptied a week earlier), not pleased at all at being insulted.

  'Why're you emptying your stuff?' Adele asked in puzzlement as Lily wrote the contents off to Bluebells' Cup.

  'Are you kidding?? McGonagall is already suspecting that I have my pranks hidden in **HUGE** quantities somewhere in this dorm!' Lily cried indignantly, shoving some out-dated – probably expired – Dungbomb cream cake in Adele's face. Adele sneezed again. The Dungbomb then made its own decision to explode on the raven-haired girl, covering her in sour cream. Lily laughed hilariously at Adele's state.

  'You have a baa~ad sense of humour, girl,' Adele scowled, leaving hurriedly for the washroom. As Sirius's motto goes, "You never know what's in a potion till you've gone through with it for 56 hours!"

  That cream cake junk was made by the clown.

  It probably practised Sirius's motto, too.

  'I know it!' Lily called after her gleefully, tying the last of her boxed prized possessions. She sighed, wondering how is she able to cope without any pranks until McGonagall decided that her HeadGirl is NOT guilty and positively _innocent_ (hah, Lily snorted) when the ten students of Hogwarts – not including the Marauders – turned into chickens.

  It was an amusing sight.

  But now the Head of Gryffindor Miss Deputy Headmistress looked quite determined to bring Lily to her knees by raiding her dorm. And Lily isn't taking any risks at all with her precious prank books.

  'LILY, YOU IDIOT!!!!' Adele screamed. 'What spell did you let Sirius put on the cream??? It wouldn't wash off!'

  'Uhh, I don't know… why? What's wrong with walking around with a white-brown cream on your face?' Lily replied sweetly, cackling to herself in amusement. 'Oh, aside from being a good dessert for the owls, I mean.'

  'Walking with cream is _fine_, Evans,' Adele snapped.

  'Oh? It is?'

  '—But SMELLING like bad dairy is NOT!!!'

  'Take it easy there!' Lily laughed. 'It'll wear off in about two hours, if you're lucky.' There was a pause in the bathroom.

  'What if I'm not lucky, then?'

  'Oh, nothing serious. You'll just smell like bad cream for three days.

  'NOTHING SERIOUS???' Adele hissed.

  'Well, could've been worse,' Lily said thoughtfully. 'You could've turned into a cow for a few hours.'

  A loud thunderous "moo" came in reply, anger colouring even in its echo. Lily turned and stared at her friend.

  'Well. I believe that you chose to be _very_ unlucky, then.'

**

  'Hey, where's Adele?' Tally asked, spoken her chicken absent-mindedly into her orange juice. Dan kindly saved her orange juice from becoming too oily with the fried chicken. 'I thought she said she was hungry enough to eat a buffalo two hours ago.'

  'Well… let's just say she kinda turned into one,' Sirius grinned maliciously. Remus snorted into his noodles. 

  'Whaddyou mean, turn into one?' Jeremiah Jones asked suspiciously.

  'Weeell, don't you think Adele's make a nice healthy cow?' Lily chirped. 'With _lovely_ black spots and a pink nose? Too bad she doesn't wear earrings, or she might have a ring on her nose, too!' Lily cackled with glee.

  'Ssh, Minnie's looking this way!' James hushed, stuffing his spoon of asparagus into his fiancée's (yes?) mouth. Lily coughed it out and gave everyone a broad smile.

  'Aaw, don't worry! I'm the innocent goodie-goodie two shoes of a HeadGirl, remember?'

  'Oh sure you are. Innocent,' Tally muttered, remembering the time when she suddenly sprouted feathers and began clucking on the table.

  'I'm SO GLAD you agreed with me!' Lily gushed happily, just as McGonagall stomped towards them.

  'Where is Varens?' the Transfiguration mistress demanded.

  'I don't know,' Remus said blankly. 'Maybe Sirius does.'

  'No I don't. I didn't see her. Ask James!'

  'Not guilty, Minnie! Last I saw her, she was with Lily.'

  'Hey! Don't push it to me! She was with you, James, not me!'

  'I was positive she was with you!'

  'No, you!'

  'No! It's you!'

  'You!'

  'You.'

  '_You_.'

  '**You**.'

  'You.'

  The ranges of the HeadStudents' voices are pretty amusing.

  'James, don't deny it, she was with you!'

  'Nope, with you.'

  'You.'

  'You!'

  'You...!!!!'

  'You!!!'

  'You. You, you, you, you, you! YOU.'

  'Oh no you don't! it's YOU. You, you, you, you, you!!!!!!'

  'Liar.'

  'Look who's talking.'

  'I'm not the liar! I saw you two…' Lily racked her brains for a quick excuse. '…making out….' Lily paused thoughtfully. Silently, she pondered: 'Uhh??? Now where'd that come from? Oh, from Sita and Nina's convo… bad bad influence.'

  'WHAT?!?!' Melissa Black shrieked, as did the other Marauders.

  'Hey. Hey Tal, what is making out?' Lily hissed to Tally. The blonde girl stared at her.

  'You mean you don't _know_???'

  'No, so hurry up and tell me,' Lily said impatiently.

  'SERIOUS? YOU, of all people, don't KNOW what it IS?'

  'I appreciate the hushed tone, but it'll be better if you just TELL me.'

  Tally's eyes widened to a size of a plate.

  'Do you want to be cursed?' Lily threatened, drawing her wand.

  Meanwhile, on James's side, things were … in bad shape.

  'James, you didn't!!!!' Remus exclaimed in surprise.

  'It's just a joke, right?' Melissa demanded.

  'Well, you're in luck. It is,' James said.

  'It's TRUE???'

  'Potter,' Sirius sighed sympathicly, clapping his hand on James's shoulder, 'you're in great, great trouble.'

  'What!' James said in defence, 'it's just a_ joke_! Can't you all tell???'

  'The more you deny, the truer it is,' Remus grinned. Lily was coughing, after hearing the non-dictionary definition of 'making out'. She looked a little amused, though.

  'The _original_ topic, folks, is WHERE ON EARTH IS ADELE CELINE VARENS!!!' James yelled desperately. 'Stick to it, okay??'

  'No. I'm telling Rose and Yvonne all about this. James, you won't live to see another day; I'm so sorry,' Melissa said, upset, drawing her parchment and quill to start writing.

  The Evans's specialty is the instant way they dress themselves. The Blacks, however, are quicker with the quill. An empty parchment in Melissa's hand is as good as written and posted to its recipient.

  'If you're sorry for me, then DON'T WRITE THAT LETTER!' James cried.

  'Sirius, will you get Soot, please?'

  'Aye aye, mum—er, I mean, Prof!' Sirius said, dashing towards the door. Suddenly the door opened and collided with Sirius's face. 'OUCH!'

  'Oops,' Adele said apologetically. 'Sorry, I didn't see a point to knock the door when everyone … um … should be seated and eating…' she trailed, noticing that everyone is not seated and eating. 'What happened?'

  'Adele, I'm going to curse you… and I'm going to curse you bad,' Sirius grimaced, wondering how to rid the red pain and embarrassment off his face. His dignity…!!! Argh!!! Adele ignored him. Hey, as the phrase goes, let hurt dogs lie before they accuse you of their injury!

  'Where were you?' Remus asked.

  'Infirmary. Thanks to Lily's stupid JOKE of a cake in the face,' Adele said sourly.

  'You smell like bad cheese,' James commented flatly.

  'It's _cream_!' Adele corrected. 'And I got it from Lily two hours ago. She turned me into a COW, for Merlin's pity, she turned me into a COW!!!! UGH!'

  'It's not that bad,' Lily said cheerfully.

  'Not bad: you said it was the WORST, Lily Evans!'

  'The worst was all three at once.'

  'Which is very certain in my case,' Adele glared. 'I smelled like bad cream for two hours.'

  'You still do,' Remus added.

  'Shut up!' Adele barked.

  'Think of the bright side! Your cold's gone!' Remus suggested brightly. Adele snorted.

  'Were you'—all ten sixth and fifth years faked a hacking cough—'making out with James?' Melissa demanded.

  Adele gave them all a look. 'Are you all mad? Who'd ever like _him_? Well, aside from Lily, that is…'

  'See?? I told you! LILY WAS _LYING_!' James crowed.

  'Hey!' Lily retorted sharply.

  'Bleh!'

  'Bleh!'

  'Can someone – one of you, anyone, I don't care who – _please save_ my **bleeding, flattened nose**?' Sirius called from his position behind the door. 'I—'

  then the door opened, smacking him in the face again. Sirius groaned in pain.

  'Oops,' Professor Dumbledore apologised, 'I didn't think of knocking because I thought everyone would be eating.'

**

  Footsteps echoed hollowly as the Dark Lord paced impatiently.

  'Ugh, when, when, when?' he snarled. 'It should work by now!'

**

  'I feel funny,' Sirius informed his friends generally. 'A little swirly in my hear, if you get what I mean.'

  'It could be because your nose bled just now,' Remus suggested practically.

  'I feel funny, too,' Adele said, 'and I didn't have a nosebleed. Only, it's not in my head. It's… oh yeah, it is in my head. Achoo!'

  'I thought your cold was fixed…?'

  'No. It back. I mean, _it's_ back. Say, where are James and Lily? Hachoo!'

  'Bless-achoo!'

  'You. Bless _you_ too, Sirius. Achoo!'

  'Haha! Add yourself to the list, Remus!!' Sirius laughed clownishly. 'Achoo!'

  'Oh great, now all three of us are sneezing,' Adele said dryly. 'So where's Lily and James? 'choo!'

  'James and Lily. J, K, L… alphabetical order,' Remus said. 'Atishoo!'

  'Fine, fine, whatever. So where?' Sneeze.

  'Last I see, they were yelling over who gets to send howlers to the Slytherins. What a great – hachoo! – pair of HeadStudents we've got,' Sirius said. 'Okay, I don't feel funny in the head anymore. I'm got a HUGE – achoo! – headache.'

  'Guess what?' Remus said brightly, 'so do I. I feel sleepy…'

  'Join the – achoo! – club,' Adele mumbled. 'I'm resting. Do not disturb.'

**

  'It's snowing,' Lily said solemnly with a frown, looking out of the library window.

  'What's wrong? It's winter, there's every right for snow to snow, Lily,' Tally said, looking up from her homework.

  'Right, nothing unusual,' Dan nodded in agreement.

  'It's just… well… nothing,' Lily sighed.

  'Do you want to talk about it?' James whispered behind the thick book he's holding.

  'I don't know. But it's making me to feel really uneasy,' Lily whispered back. James made a sign that they should move to the end of the library, where it is more secluded.

  'What do you mean?' he asked. Lily stared outside the window.

  'First, it's white,' she murmured, her fingers pressing against the window. 'There're footprints.' An image flashed in her eyes.

  'And then, blood, and a beam of light… and- and lots of… bodies… I think… falling, they look familiar. And- and—'

  Lily was suddenly attacked by a flurry of images. She squinted, slightly shocked at the speed.

  James stared at her. The metamorphosis circle must've completed, just like his had half an hour ago.

  'Ow!' Lily squeaked, holding her head, as if in pain. James was startled. This wasn't suppose to happen, right? 'My head…'

  'Lily, are you okay?' James asked, knowing it's an obviously stupid question since he could see that she's NOT okay. Then he wondered about Remus, Sirius and Adele.

**

  'Check,' Lord Voldemort said, pleased. 'Those little whims won't be able to control their new freedom on their own.' His red eyes flashed in triumph. 'And today is the historic day of Lord Voldemort's rise in power! HAHAHAHAHAHA!'

**

  'Alright, remember the time we got attacked?' Lily said, breathing difficultly. No normal human – or abnormal, in her case – can actually stand the presence of full psychic power. Not without proper training, anyway. Her friends have the same problem too, only with their own… abnormal specialties, if their magic permits itself that.

  'As if we won't,' Remus snorted, remembering being hit on the head.

  'Kay. Our Dark Lord placed a spell a spell on us,' James explaining, noting that Lily's more focused on the stars around her. 'But the spell had a kinda side effect, which is – well – making our magic "wake up" a tad too early.'

  'Oh,' Adele muttered weakly. She was, generally, the worst off of the Marauders, technically because… well, it's Black magic. You don't expect more than that of such black a skill.

  'He didn't know 'bout ours,' Lily said, 'only Sirius's. Remember what I said? Voldemort's last letter?'

  'Puppets?' Sirius suggested.

  'Yes. Prob'ly James already said, but the Maggles were the personalities…'

  'Yes, yes. True self. Metamorphosis. All that rubbish,' Remus said impatiently.

  'Right, this's the end, as far as I know,' Lily said, grasping James's hand. The self-claimed leader of the Marauders seemed to be the most stable of them, if not the only one stable.

  'And…?'

  'This is where he gets us. Puppets are easier to manipulate when there are no puppeteers.'

  'So Voldemort gets us?' Sirius muttered thoughtfully. The question seemed more of a statement. 'Our magic's at its greatest, though!'

  'Yeah, we could try fighting back,' Remus said brightly, before coughing heavily.

  'In this condition?' James pointed out quietly.

  'How come you're okay?' Adele snapped resentfully at him, cold sweet forming on her forehead.

  'Because Blue Magic's _quite _the same as Secondary Psychic, it's form I mean,' James said. 'Unlike you all, I actually _practiced_.' Then he realized it wasn't time to be bragging about that. 'It's just a _little_ worst than yours.'

  'Try not to fall unconscious,' Lily said. Deep down, however, she knew it was useless.

  Minutes later, Adele's form began flickering. It flickered once… twice… then it was gone.

  No one noticed her absence.

**

  'It looks like the Rook is here,' he laughed, the lipless lips curling into a smile as he stared at the raven-haired girl that had just materialized in the locked up glass. 'One down, four to go. This process is taking for too long already.'

  Another figure joined Adele's limp form.

  'The knight…' the Dark Lord grinned. 'The bishop should be well on its way.'

  'Masster… they are quite ready…'

  'Yes, yes, Nagini. Just two more to go… then, the plan shall take action… on the _first of the waning moon._' Voldemort's eyes glinted reflectively as he cackled with mad laughter.

  The glass door was locked and bolted with various padlocks and magic spells. Behind the door, Adele, Remus and Sirius lay, unconscious.

**

  'They're **gone**?!' Lily cried in horror, clutching James's robes. 'It's so fast! When…? How…?'

  'Calm down, Lily, you're just going to tire yourself more,' James sighed. He was beginning to fell weak.

  'No. Can't sleep,' Lily muttered. 'Don't want to see those faces…'

  'What?'

  'Oh no! Where're our parents???' Lily literally shrieked, losing control of herself even more.

  'Safe at home, wherelse?' James replied in puzzlement.

  'SAFE? If my dreams these past years are true, they're ANYTHING but SAFE,' Lily screeched. 'I'm going to owl them this instant!' She tore off from James's embrace and shot right out of the form. James ran after her.

  'Hey, weren't you two in the library?' Tally asked when she saw Lily and James. Suddenly, Lily collapsed to the ground. 'Aaaah!! Lily?!'

  'Oh no,' James groaned, falling down, too.

  'James?! Lily?!' Tally whispered, finding herself sprawled on the ground. The corridors were empty, save her and her books. A strong presence of dark magic was left, its traces whipped away by a sudden gale of wind.

**

  Voldemort was hissing curses to himself, pacing impatiently on the stone floors. Every step was echoed.

  'Patienceee…' Nagini hissed in whispery voice. The snake slithered up to the couch.

  'Patience?! I have been waiting for YEARS!' Voldemort roared, tossing his pet from the couch. Nagini whimpered.

  Two blurry figures fell gently into the cell. Lord Voldemort grinned broadly, his slit red eyes glowing with an indescribable hunger.

  'Ha…' he stammered, unable to contain his happiness. 'HA HAAA!!! It's **_CHECKMATE_**! Lord Voldemort shall rule the world! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!'

  'Very good, my lord,' Nagini murmured.

  'Christmas eve… shall be a memorable day…' he cackled soft. 'The day…'

  White snowflakes gently fell, contrasting deeply with the ink black sky.

**

  Snow fell thickly in Loopy Village. The magical village with magical folks pretending to be muggles (and doing a good job at it) was cheerful and all lit up with joy and laughter. The villagers were celebrating Christmas Eve in the town square.

  'Too bad the kids aren't here,' Anne said, cheerfully roasting the turkey with Romulus Lupin.

  'Mel isn't here either,' Yvonne sighed.

  'That can't be helped,' Gram said. 'She _is_ a professor of Hogwarts now. And she'll take good care of the little ones, so we don't really have to worry.' The old lady smiled cheerfully at her daughter's direction. Rose grinned weakly back.

  'It's Christmas Eve! Don't look so glum,' Celine Varens said. 'C'mon Rose, it'll work out just fine! After all, divination is still a divination.'

  'You're right,' Rose said, doing her best to lift her spirits up. 'I'm probably wrong about something happening tonight. After all, my powers are sort of fading.'

  'That's the spirit, flower!' William Evans beamed, hugging her.

  'Hey, where are the Maggles?' Yvonne asked, looking around.

  'Dunno,' Romulus shrugged.

  'Never seen 'em,' Orion Black added.

  'Something's coming from the forest!' a child cried, pointing at the east side of the village. 'Mummy, it's big and rilly-rilly black!'

  'Timmy, how many times must I tell you not to lie?' his mother scolded, not casting a look at her son.

  'No, mummy! It's coming to us, mummy!' Timmy said earnestly. 'Is it a bat, mummy? A rilly-_rilly _big bat?'

  'Timmy…'

  The "big and rilly-rilly black" "something from the forest" swooped down upon the gathering in the middle of the village. Up close, little Timmy noticed that they wore black cloaks and robes. His eyes widened in amazement.

  'Oh, _boy_! Mummy, it's _BATMAN_!!! There's so many!!!' the child gushed, as his mother – finally noticing what Timmy was talking about – scooped him off in fright.

  Upon the presence of the strangers, the celebration stopped. Everything was muted in silence as the folks stared curiously at the newcomers. The mayor moved up front.

  'Yes?' Allan Rittardo asked politely, 'how many we help you?'

  'You may all choose,' the voice murmured quietly, 'to join the dark side, or disclaim your life.'

  'What?' Murmurs swept. A few young witches and wizards were backing unconsciously.

  'You have a choice, residence of Loopy Village. To join Lord Voldemort, OR TO DIE!' Lord Voldemort cried. The hooded head looked up, freezing terror in those who reflect the inhuman red eyes.

  The wizards turned hither and dashed off. The villagers ran for it, screaming as they desperately search shelter for hiding. Frantic cries pierced the air in shrill notes. Shuffles of feet on the snow. Voldemort's lips curled into a happy smirk, as he raised his hand. Death Eater took flight.

  It was one for one's self.

  Unforgivables were used left-right-up-down. Green beams flashed occasionally, screams echoed; be it from the fallen Death Eaters, or the magical folk defending themselves.

  Cold snow fell… the Death Eaters were outnumbered and lame, much to Voldemort's disgust. So much for their special training.

  Voldemort sneered. Oh well, who cares. After all, what are they?'

  _Pawns_.

  Just pawns. Useless stuff on a chessboard.

  The Dark Lord smiled silkily. The other Death Eaters would be conquering the rest of the other wizard-populated towns or villages. Loopy Village, however, would meet their own village-bred talents. He drew his hood. There's plenty from where Death Eaters come from. He had planned this for years already. Every single weakness or flaw had been fixed, if not eliminated.

  The last of the black pawns fell. Yet only about ten of the villagers had left the world to meet the Creator.

  Voldemort snapped his fingers, smirking haughtily.

  …weird. He snapped again.

  Still nothing. The villagers are closing on him, confidence on their faces. He spun around.

  'YOU FOOLS!!!' he yelled. 'You are to come when I snap my fingers!'

  Only then did the villagers noticed the five figures behind him, so well shadowed. One of the, the one in the middle, looked up casually. Stone cold eyes pierced with black humour, cold smirk so confident. Voldemort glared.

  'Fool! Did you hear what I have said?' he demanded. It was becoming too unbecoming of a Dark Lord to yell like this.

  Four others looked up, too. Identical stony eyes that stared into nothingness. Void of emotions.

  Then the middle one spoke up. The alto voice had a strong and clear note of leadership in it.

  'You do not refer to us as fools,' he whispered, 'and we do not respond to humiliating signs.' Seeing that Voldemort wasn't paying attention to them, a vast majority of the village folks had fled off to hiding.

  The figure removed the hood of his wool coat.

  'James Potter…!' Allan whispered in shock, unbelieving. It was most unbelievable.

  'Very well, _Potter_,' Voldemort spat, 'dispose of the trash! _Evans, Lupin, Black, Varens_, you all too!' The way Voldemort said their names, it was like spelling venom.

  Allan gasped as he saw the five Marauders unhood. It's the five pranksters, all right. But they looked… different. It wasn't just their eyes, and how they seem to smile with smug confidence. They look… (Allan never imagined he'd ever thought of that) _matured_. Each one of them are dismissed of their tanned complexion of playing under the sun during childhood—except the Varens girl, of course, she'd always looked very powdered to him. They are extraordinarily fair, with rosy sort of cheeks.

  Somehow, like _vampires_: Allan shuddered as he made his way towards the forest. Handsomely charming creatures, extinct for ten thousands of years ago.

  'I SAID DESTROY THIS VILLAGE!!!' Voldemort yelled, losing his patience. Who cares about those stupid village folk now! This village, he remembered, had ages old of sacred knowledge, like many other small hidden wizard villages.

  'Very well,' Adele nodded. She raised her left hand, and Voldemort glared at her.

  'What's with them?!' he growled under his breath, feeling like his plan is going to pieces.

  'Do not this we cannot hear,' Lily hissed, suddenly behind him. 'We will annihilate you, too, should you cause us trouble.' The boys folded their arms.

  Bloody twisted personalities, Voldemort cursed mentally, remembering that they were beyond his control. Bloody marauders and their bloody cocky egos. He'd made a huge mistake, brainwashing them.

  Adele's hand glowed, and fire soon swept through the village, melting the snow with its unnatural heat. Voldemort stared.

  'Wow,' the Dark Lord said, then quickly collected himself. 'Ahem. I meant good job.'

  The snow ceased. The clouds moved.

  '"Beneath the waning moon,"' Lily recited softly, placing a cool hand on Adele's right hand. It was most ready to unleash the deadly magic Adele possessed.

  'Now kill the villagers!' Voldemort ordered. Lily did not budge. Neither did James. The two just stood where they are, staring at the partly greyish sky with their icy stare.

  Adele, Sirius and Remus raised their hands:

"Ceres I bid the biggest one

Hear our calls for we're the chosen ones

Shower meteors upon them

In our name, bid thy master."

  The clouds cleared and a moon, glowing with dim pearly light appeared. Then, there was about a hundred or so streak of falling meteors, all headed towards the forest, where the Loopy Village folks were hiding.

  Voldemort had the urge to say "wow!!!' again with more awe, but stopped himself hurriedly. He then realised, that James and Lily had done almost nothing—and they were the more important pieces.

  He turned, ready to yell at them. James was chanting under his breath, hand sweeping towards the right. It seemed to hold powers. The two were hovering just above the forest, Lily staring sharply at Voldemort's direction.

  Wait a minute… HOVER?! Those two couldn't have done! Only he, Lord Voldemort, has the wand great enough to perform such deed, and that is NOT without difficulties.

  He spun. Both Sirius and Remus had leaned back towards a tree and, for some unknown reasons to Voldemort, the charred cottages had somehow returned to it's original.

  Varens!

  'Varens, I order you to kill your friends!!' Voldemort yelled, brandishing his wand. She stopped and turned around stiffly. Hmm, this Varens seems easy.

  Adele smiled coldly. 'Certainly.' She raised her right hand. Sirius and Remus, just regaining their consciousness of things, stared at her in shock, the same sentence in their woozy mind: will she kill _them_?

  Multiple screams shattered the silence as a few explosions took place in the forest. Lily turned, looking at Remus in the eye.

  Remus nodded and, with Lily's psychic levitating him, left to help James control the meteors they had cast.

  Voldemort sneered spitefully behind Adele as the girl stepped towards Sirius. The boy gulped. What on earth is his stupid Yellow Magic good for?!?! Who cares if it's rare? Probably for a damn good reason, too, since it co0uldn't save the mage from threats.

            _"With an addition… of granting things," James beamed. "If trained, that is."_

  'Great, now I wish I'd trained,' Sirius winced as a few more screams rang out with explosions. Adele just went on smiling the creepy smile of her as she reached him.

  'FIRE!' the Black Mage yelled out. Sirius shut his eyes, wondering WHY must he be so unlucky to have his boots stuck in the snow AND be killed by a fellow Marauder. Life just couldn't get any worse now, could it.

  'VARENS!' Voldemort shrilly yelled, his figures scorching with magic flames. Lily turned around, onto to stare, recalling the time when she had set flames on Tessie. Anger surged in her. She placed the enhancing magic on Voldemort. '_I'll get back at you Marauders, if that's the last thing I do!!!_'

  With that, he apparated off.

  'Bye bye,' Adele called cheerfully.

  Sirius sighed in relief and slumped to his knees, pulling his sunken boots out of the snow. 'Phew. For a moment, I thought you really would kill me.'

  'I was going to,' Adele admitted guiltily, causing Sirius to scramble away from her as fast as he could. She turned to the sky.

  The bright waning moon stared back.

  'But somehow, I feel that the moon sort of…' She frowned, puzzled.

  'Un, shake you up?' Sirius suggested. 'It did that to all of us, I think.'

  'That should be it,' James sighed tiredly as Lily levitated them back to Sirius and Adele.

  'Half were killed,' Lily said, glaring at James.

  'Excuse me! I can't save hundred plus of people at once!' James argued. 'How's one mage gonna defeat THREE??? That's about FOUR HUNDRED METEOR OUT THERE, LILY ROSE EVANS!'

  'Sorry,' Remus, Sirius and Adele muttered, hanging their heads.

  'We can't do anything,' Lily said reasonably. 'You three weren't really affected by the moon when it first came out.

  'Why're we affected by the moonlight?'

  'See, Voldemort's astrology is somehow to the moon,' Lily said, beaming proudly at the knowledge she could offer, 'I saw it in the tarot cards. Ours if for the moon, because of our Chinese astrology. Therefore, according to the prophecy by some Chinese philosopher for our stars, we'll be _really_ strong when the light of a waning moon is on us, and today happened to be the day, so—'

  'You're getting me all confused!' Adele groaned. 'And I've got a splitting headache here!'

  'You did ask,' Lily snapped. 'And there's no shorter version.

 'Um, guys?' Remus said timidly.

  'I'm a girl.'

  'Whatever. I think we'd better leave. These villagers are gonna come back out and, well,' Remus gulped noticeably, 'I don't think they're gonna believe that we're under control of the brainwash thing.'

  'Why not?' Adele retorted. 'I think getting hit by the Imperio spell's bad enough. And… I feel kind of different, somehow.'

  'Your hair is flying,' Lily said curtly.

  'So's yours, Lily,' James said. 'But we'd better go. I don't think we're wanted at the moment.'

  'If you'd forgotten, we don't have apparating license. OR know how to apparate,' Sirius said wisely.

  James grinned at him.

  'Besides, Hogwarts is a no-no apparating spot,' Adele added. 'ACHOO!!!!' she sneezed.

  'Those people are coming back and I don't have the least bit of magic or strength to freeze time,' Remus said tiredly. There were beads of sweat on his forehead. Adele sneezed again.

  James went on grinning. Then everything swirled in vortex colours.

____________________________________________________________________________________

AN: First off, it's a hard life I'm going through. Yes, I admit, I have been slacking. Actually thought of giving it up altogether, truth to be told. I did promise, though, and I don't break my promise, so here you are. I meant to have this up the day after I posted **_Tryst_** [the other job I started out of pure boredom], but I kind of hurt my right index finger, thus making typing hard and moving the mouse a painful task.

  Happy Halloween! Thought it might be a good time to post it :P nah! Actually, my finger felt less painful, so I thought I'd do my fingers some exercise.

  You can kill me for taking a long time. Go ahead. I don't mind. It's my fault anyway ^^; gomen nasai! Gomen nasai! I was too busy with collecting my _Fruits Basket_ anime and watching _Inuyasha_ the past months! It burnt a hole in my pocket and now I'm broke so… *laughs guiltily* so sorry… I've been really lonely since my friend changed schools…

  Hope this chapter [written, rewritten, rewritten, redone, changed-the-plot, written, rewritten, rewritten] is fine. After all, from the way my teacher marked my essay, my English seemed to be getting from bad to worse.

--_bunny chan_


	7. Mages

**The Marauding Five : Year Seven**

**Chapter 7: Mages**

Professor Melissa Black, Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher of the current term wore a black scowl on her lips. Steam is literally being emitted from her nostrils and ears, her black eyes dancing mad in anger. There were tell tale traces of tears and she looked like the under world freezing all over.

She marched into the boys' dorms – every single one of every single house – stripping everything down and demanding for the Marauders.

Then she ransacked the girls' dorms, too, stripping every single hiding place she can think of that'll prove sufficient to the Marauders's hiding place.

Finally, Tally Chapman stammered that Lily and James were last seen fainting in front of her before vanishing.

To which Professor Black screamed 'JUST LIKE THOSE IDIOTS TO MAKE A DRAMATIC EXIT!' before turning Madam Pomfrey's neat beds over.

'What's wrong with her?' Tally gulped, joining Dan at the common room.

'I don't know. She came in and yelled for "those five monkeys",' Dan replied casually, just as anowl dropped him his _Daily Prophet _paper. He absent-mindedly tucked it under his arm. Then he stopped, unfurled it, and gasped loudly.

'What?'

'Tally, _look at this!!!_'

Feeling that this has got to do with the Marauders ('whenever do these kind of things _don't have to do with them…'), Tally took a look at where Dan's index finger was pointing at._

**Wizard Villages & Towns Destroyed  
Loopy Village Struck By You-Know-Who**

Directly under the bolded headline, were pictures. Five faces peered out cheerfully, all smiles and beams and grins that heaven can manage. Very familiar. Too familiar, in fact.

'WHAT ON ATLANTIS IS THIS?!?!' Tally shrieked, grabbing the paper. 'These are the Marauders!!!'

**Five teenage wizards under the Dark Lord  
—Searched for to be placed for testament.**

'You've got to be kidding,' Tally muttered, sinking in disbelief. Her eyes scanned the text. '…attacked the village with You-Know-Who… approximately hundred of the villagers killed… ninety-five survivors…'

Dan hugged her comfortingly. The blonde girl stared stiffly at the names of those that didn't survive.

…_William & Rose Evans… Milicent Turner… Emily Potter… Orion Black… __Romulus__ & Anne Lupin… Adam & Celine Varens…_

She dropped the paper. 'Only… only the Potters?' Tally murmured blankly, head suddenly feeling very empty. 'Of the Marauders… only James's parents and Sirius's mum…? Then- then there's Petunia and Adele's twin…' Dan hugged her tighter.

'Did anyone see the Marauders???' Melissa cried, bursting into Gryffindor Tower again.

Tally and Dan both retracted self-consciously.

'Um, no,' Dan blurted. Melissa caught sight of the _Daily Prophet on the floor. She raised her eyes._

'Don't owl the reporters,' she said grimly.

'We won't,' Tally promised dimly.

**

They coughed heavily. 'Great transportation skills,' Adele said sarcastically. 'We're weak already, _and_ you're still making us travel all over!'

'I'll bet you anything that the Ministry is after our hides and things,' James replied firmly, trying to stand a very sleepy Lily up. 'They'll hoard EVERYTHING, and my house's library isn't just a mere collection of books!!! It's PRICE—'

'—PRICELESS. Yeah, yeah, we know. It's not as if we don't have nothing in our place,' Remus muttered.

'But transporting FIVE HOUSES???' Sirius wailed demandingly. 'You realize your parents aren't dead yet?'

'I don't care,' James said stubbornly. 'They'll come to Hogwarts, eventually, and I'll tell them!'

'I wonder how, being at Godric's Hollow. We all know that place is a literal jungle.'

'Good thing Lily's a white mage,' Remus said. 'She can transfer some of her magic to you for strength.'

'Well… ye-es…' James stared at the ceiling.

'At least Godric's Hollow is useful, even if it's pretty early stage for them to find out,' Adele sighed. 'Now we can get out well-deserved sleep!!!'

'Fire Flames,' Lily muttered to the Fat Lady.

The Marauders wandered into the common room tiredly, only to find Dan hugging Tally intimately. The two glanced up at the Marauders. The five laughed sheepishly.

'Oops, sorry we interrupted you,' Lily laughed. 'We'll go!' They turned to leave.

'No, no, no! Wait!' Tally said at once. 'Where were you guys?'

'Being controlled by a psychomaniac,' Sirius muttered. 'I don't believe that I can't fight off Imperio…'

'… you… probably know that, um, your family…'

'What?' Adele and Sirius said in unison. 'They're alive?? Really???' Faint hopes, of course.

'Yes,' Lily murmured quietly, her green eyes dimming slightly. 'But that can't be helped. The problem with puppets… it's a puppet,' she said with a sad smile, sighing deeply.

And Lily left for the dormitory.

'Is she okay?' Tally asked anxiously.

'Well…'

'Li's gonna cry. I remember that Look,' Remus whispered.

'As if I don't,' James snorted. The was a pause among James, Remus and Sirius.

'So??' Sirius said impatiently.

'So?' James repeated with a questioning tone. 'What's the point?'

'Go up and comfort her, you dolt!!!' Sirius hissed.

'Watch who you're calling a dolt,' James glared. Sirius backed away.

'Okay, fine. Sorry. Just go up. And comfort her. Get it?' Remus said. '_All_ her family members died but Petunia, and you KNOW what her sister's like, after living with her for 16 years.'

'All of yours died, too,' James retorted.

'I'm a grown up! Geez! And I'm a _man_!'

'Adele?' James said helpfully.

'Her sister's a treasure box compared to Petty Petunia,' Sirius said dismissively. 'Look, just go, okay?? Don't be so shy!' James glared at the word shy. 'Well?? Go! She's your fiancée! Aren't you gonna say SOMETHING?'

James hesitated. His two friends glared at him – ordering – him to go up and make Lily feel better, however they expect him to do it. After a couple of seconds of silent exchanges, James reluctantly obliged their wish.

Sirius and Remus congratulated themselves on a job well done.

'Where's he going? That's the girls' dorms!' Tally said sharply, noticing James dragging his feet up the stairs half-heartedly.

'Ssh,' Adele hushed. She turned to make sure the boys were not looking, then quietly sneaked up the stairs. Tally stared after her curiously, before impishness took over her worried-anxious-side. She proceeded towards the stairs.

Suddenly, she felt a hot glare behind her neck. Tally looked up, only to see Adele emitting _daggers_ from her eyes, ordering her to **not** come near the door.

Tally shivered and quailed under the intense glare before retreating.

Adele can be really scary. At least she's not like Lily, whose expression of glaring daggers is… truly, dangerously heart-stopping.

**

James hesitated again at the door. Sheesh, what's he going to say to Lily? "Sorry, Li, can't save your parents 'cause I was busy saving mine"? Or maybe a more casual one, like "hey Lily, know you're going to cry, so Sirius and Remus sent me here to see you pour buckets"? Haha, that's really funny. He could also try saying "you know, I think it's okay if your parents die now, because they'll have to die someday, somehow, so why not now?"

That is too cruel for a James-like answer. Very rhymy, too, at the end part.

James slumped.

Adele was hiding behind a pillar, Remus's birthday present (camera) carefully positioned in her hand. She tapped her foot impatiently.

James paced in front of the door, still wondering what to say.

'If you're practicing your march to be a bodyguard, get to the gates!' Lily snapped irritably, opening the door. James was startled. 'Adele, get out. I know you're there.' Adele jumped.

'Ah, how'd you know?' the raven haired girl smiled innocently, hiding the camera from sight.

'I _told_ you my senses are good…'

Adele grumbled under her breath. 'C'mon, get on in, she won't eat you,' Adele grunted unhappily, dragging James after her.

'No!' James said at once. 'I'm going to my dorm, kay? I remembered something I had to do for Minnie! You know, HeadBoy and stuff…' he trailed, backing away at a steady pace. Once he decided that he was at a safe distance from Adele's arms, his feet sprinted.

'What's with him?' Lily asked. Adele just shrugged, following Lily in.

The girl watched Lily carefully as she pulled out a few tins of biscuits and magicked a cup of hot chocolate with her wand. Lily then proceeded to tie her long hair in a high ponytail. Then she wrapped a white ribbon around her rubber band and pulled it into a bow.

Adele's violet eyes trailed to her own reflection in the mirror. Funny. Her pale skin got even whiter (sooner or later, she'll be Snow White in the muggle cartoon) and she had rosy cheeks. For once. Not that it complimented much to her dark hair and purple eyes, anyway. It made her look scarier, in her opinion.

'How come I look different?' Adele blurted.

'I told you, metamorphosis,' Lily said simply, biting a biscuit. She handed one to Adele. 'Want one?' Adele ignored the offer.

'And what happened last night? I don't quite remember.'

'Our parents died,' Lily said with a shrug, biting into her chocolate chip cookie.

'…how?' It was a question she knew she wouldn't want an answer to.

Lily paused. 'Voldemort made you, Sirius and Remus do it.'

Adele gulped. 'Does that- does that mean that I – I, Adele Varens – killed my own parents?' Adele asked weakly. 'And a hundred others? Did I kill yours, and Remus, and Sirius, and James's, too?

'James's family is safe, but his grandma Emily,' Lily said shortly. 'Don't worry, she's evil.' Lily felt guilty saying about James's grandmother that way, but what's out is out.

'Oh.' Adele stared at her reflection again. 'You said we were out old selves before the meta-whatever-it-is-thing. So is it Adele Varens or Adele Green that did all these?' Adele asked in a small voice.

Lily calmly drank her milk.

'What'll you do?'

'Well…'

'What would you do?' the other girl asked, looking into Adele's eyes.

Adele bit her lip. She knew what she'd do. Perfectly well. She avoided Lily's intense knowing green eyes that urged her to tell the truth. 'I won't do anything.'

'Really? That's impressive, Adele.'

Adele felt squirmish about lying to her best friend. The only friend that really cared about her, though Lily's idea of caring were really… outrageously indirect.

'Yeah, well, you know how noble I am! So, are you telling me or not?'

'I trust you,' Lily murmured, as if sighing. It was heavily veiled, though, so Adele couldn't read much out of it. She squirmed again. 'It's both of you. You know how stubborn Green is. You seem to just pick up the same murderous streak. Besides, you two are the same person. It's not use saying who did what.'

'…oh. Why're you so undisturbed? Your… um…'

'I told you, I'm a puppeteer,' Lily smiled. Adele gave her a confused look. 'Nah! I'm just kidding! Secret, secret! It's a secret!'

'You won't tell me?' Adele pouted. She wanted to know it so much. Sometimes, she wondered what kept the other four Marauders ticking; something that she'd never experienced before?

'Nope! Now, cookie?' Lily offered cheerfully.

**

He panted. Obviously, he wasn't trained to run for long distance. At least, from the girls' dorm to the boys'. It's far enough to be counted as long distance. James slumped into the third years' bed, perfectly aware that he's not in his own dorm. He wanted to avoid Sirius, Remus and Dan.

'Eeeps, that was creepy,' he breathed finally, to the empty room. Lily had been a wrong – wrong, _wrong, **wrong, wrong, WRONG! – choice for a psychic.**_

He dug into his robes to produce a red and gold book he got from Lily's bag the other day. He stared at it curiously.

Hm. Could it be her diary? Photo album? Future sightings? Couldn't be. She's not that kind of sentimental person who'd care about all those enough to keep track of them in a book.

James turned the hard cover over.

He blinked. And blink, and blink, and blink.

It's certainly not **Lily's**, this book…? She couldn't come up with anything as, uh, _creative as this. James stared a few times at the scrawled name of the owner: Lily Rose Evans. _

It's just… hard to grasp the fact that Lily could even…!

On the first page, and the many many pages after it, decorated repeatedly with a grin and certain affectionate thoughts, were the words: I Hate James Potter.

In all sorts of artistic graffiti, too, complimenting the written facts.

James smiled weakly when he turned to another page, now reading James Is An Idiot.

Honestly… Lily??? There must be some mistake somewhere.

James missed the small note on the lower left corner of the hard cover, a small print of black ink.

_Everything in this book is meant to burst James Potter's ego, my –cough- fiancé. The fact that he won't read this note is plenty of proof to his impatience. Mwahaha!!!!! Everything written in this book is opposite of what's true. I'm not a dunce. I know that the busybody would open this—Lily._

**

'Well,' Melissa said, observing the Marauders with an icy stare. 'So what is the real story behind those uses of magic? What happened,' she pressed on in a more demanding tone, 'in Loopy Village three days ago?'

Three days. The Marauders had all managed to avoid Melissa for three solid days, equals 24 multiplied by 3, 76 hours. Oh, and plus the suddenly unexpected early breakfast of Melissa's, it would be around 84 hours. _Quite_ an accomplishment.

'Well, see, first, we kinda… uh…' Sirius's mind couldn't find the right word. 'Er, KIND OF kidnapped, but not kidnapped.'

His mother raised her eyes, but gaze expectantly for them to continue.

'Got placed in some- some- some- some _Brainwashing & Controlling Machine which resembles… what does it look like?' Adele asked, turning to her friends pleadingly. Melissa just went on staring in the way which demanded, silently, for the full account. The Marauders had never felt so intimidated or helpless before. Usually they're the ones manipulating others that way._

'It looks like a – like **the – antique vase at home. You know, that Ming Dynasty one in your house, Sirius,' Remus offered helpfully. 'Well, we got exactly what the machine described itself—'**

'What?' Lily blurted stupidly.

'Brainwashing, controlling, looks like an old Chinese vase. As I was going to say, our highly capable minds didn't get brainwashed, and we didn't get controlled,' Remus beamed.

'Yes, sure,' Melissa noted dryly, dripping with coarse sarcasm.

'Yup! Instead, we got _extra knowledge **and out of control!' Sirius declared.**_

'That explains a lot now, what happened,' Melissa commented wryly.

'So we don't have to go on?' James asked hopefully, 'cause we've got Quidditch practice.'

'Oh, with only _five_ people on the team,' Lily muttered quietly. 'Since Pattempt Thore and Amanda Witt left for Christmas holidays.'

'Fine,' Melissa said. 'Go on and fly like elephants.'

'Birds,' Remus corrected. 'Or butterflies.' The five seventeen-year-olds turned around and marched out in unison.

Melissa Black gazed after them. Then she sighed, and smiled to see that they handle deaths well ('oh, those darling toddlers are all grown up…!' Sniff sniff) before going back to marking the seventh years' essays.

She frowned at the one before her. It was on Kappas (she gave it as revision).

_Kappas_ are what muggles and everyone who don't know a nought about them Nessie from the ___Loch__ _Ness___ in __Scotland__. To know one, you'll have to visit __Scotland__. Mum, I suggest you take me there someday, so I can answer your question better._

She glanced at the name: Sirius Black, from G-R-Y-F-F-I-N-D-O-R—R-U-L-E-S-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!

...Melissa gave it 1 out of ten.

She'll bring him there someday, alright. Nessie would probably appreciate extra food.

**

'It's the **Wronski** Feint**! Not **wring-the-broom-and-pretend-to-faint**!!!' James yelled to Jeremiah Jones. The seeker had been trying his best to learn something James just discovered would be helpful, but obviously, he wasn't living up to James's expectations.**

Wronski Feint involves _pretending to see the Snitch somewhere near the ground—easy peasy job; the practice Snitch was _indeed_ near the ground—pulling out of the dive _before_ hitting the pitch and trying to make the other Seeker crash._

Jeremiah had somehow squeezed his broom, so hard that the new Shooting Star CRASHED onto the pitch, break the other Seeker's fall (Craig Keys, the reserve seeker) and knocking the poor broomstick into daze. The broom flew rather wobbly afterwards.

So wobbly it seemed like it just downed a whole barrel of beer.

'Sorry!' Jeremiah yelled, just as his broom hurled him through the Quidditch hoops. He knocked his jaw sharplu. 'Ar-ow…!'

'It's _Hufflepuffwe're against this time! And if we win, we'll be on __Slytherin, so buck up!!!' Sirius yelled. 'We're gonna GET THAT QUIDDITCH CUP THIS YEAR!!!!!!'_

'His family's death certainly hasn't affected his spirit, eh,' Amanda Witt commented dryly to Pattempt Thore. 'I'd've expected all the Marauders to mope around, depressed and all, y'know?'

'No way!!! It's GREAT!!! They're simply _cool!' Pattempt gibbered happily, the ever faithful Marauders Worshipper. 'They've got the bravery! They're awesome, Amanda! Besides, it's already January!'_

'I expect them to be upset,' Amanda said firmly.

WHAM!! A bludger shot past the two third years, jolting them to see who sent it. Lily grinned broadly; in her hand was a Beater's club. Pattempt had left it on the ground.

'Break up, if this is some lovey-dovey thing! It's Quidditch time!' Remus laughed.

'Yes!!! WORK HARD! GET THAT CUP!!!' Sirius yelled. 'We'd beat those Slytherins and if we beat Hufflepuff, we'll be facing those slimy snakes again! After that, we'll **_GET THE CUP_**!!!!!!'

'Team spirit!' Lily cheered happily, swinging the Beater's club as Pattempt tried to get it off her.

'Death never affect them,' Amanda sighed.

WHAM! Another Bludger whizzed by. Lily laughed as Remus pushed it off with his broom, sending it towards Jeremiah, whose unlucky – very sadly unlucky – broom received full blow of the Bludger. The broom "fainted" in spirals.

'And… hey, Jeremy! Did you head what I was telling you about Wronski Feint?' James demanded hotly, breaking out of his… sermon.

'My broom isn't up to working conditions, Potter!'

'That's fortunate! You can use the school brooms, then!' the captain said brightly. 'if you can jerk _them from the ground, I bet you can pull yours in time from crashing!'_

'The school brooms?? James, do you want me to DIE??? They're mad!'

 'Easier, don't you think, to pull the Feint?' James concluded with a beaming face.

**

'SCORE!!! Extra points! Come on Lily!!! JAMES, LILY IS SENDING IT TO YOU!!!' Adele shrieked madly, jumping up and down, thumping her fists on the seats in front of her. Dan and Tally were trying to calm her down, since she's practically hopping on her seat.

**_Thump, thump, thump_; her fist sounded rhythmically against the wood, just as Lily scored another 10 points for Gryffindor.**

'YEEEEEES!!!!' Adele cried, doing some sort of dance jig now. Her hands flew around and knocked Tally and Dan from holding her back. Her legs kicked the students in front of her. Literally.

'Ouch! Adele!!!' Nina yelled. Adele didn't let her rant on further, though. She just caught sight of Jeremiah Jones dashing for the snitch and got excited. So excited that she lurched forward, grabbed Nina by the neck, choke her with the elbow and screamed like a banshee in Nina's ears.

'Adele!' Thomas called, trying to grab her to a more balanced position. Adele's wild arm thumped on him, too, as she choked both Nina and Thomas in her excitement.

'…_and Jones caught the Snitch! 170-90, Gryffindor wins the game!!!'_ Solan Thrift's voice echoed around the Quidditch pitch.

And Adele toppled from the stands, landing heavily on the pitch.

Bzzt! Bz…zt! Bzzt…!

There was a faint buzzing sound from… somewhere near. For a moment, Adele had an impression that there's a huge mosquito after her.

'Well, well, well. If it isn't Miss Varens paying me a visit.'

Adele recognized that voice. 'Voldemort,' she acknowledged, turning around and cautiously drew her wand. 'I didn't pay you a visit. Rather, I think I fell off the stands, on to the pitch, and happen to stop by at your place before I hit.'

Voldemort was silent, unsure of what to make of this.

'Of course, had a bump thanks to your bare floor,' Adele added spitefully. 'So, what do you want, calling me here? I don't take special orders, you know,' she said sarcastically.

'Well then. Tell me, what did you use… the magic, to de—'

'Why would I tell you?' Adele retorted sharply.

'Crucio!'

Adele crumbled to her knees.

'Now tell me, girl! _What was it that you used?_'

She wondered blindly why didn't he just kill her. Well, of course not! Info first, then the torture, then it's wings and a halo for Adele Varens! Silly her. Or maybe he won't even kill her at all.

'HURRY, GIRL.' Her limbs twisted painfully.

'YAAAA!' Adele shrieked in pain.

'Speak, you foolish girl!'

'M-MAGIC! IYAAAAAAA!'

Voldemort leaned forward. 'Yes, fool! What magic?!'

Adele cringed, wondering what'll she do. Voldemort flicked his wrist.

'I- I use—' she squeezed her eyes shut, doing a quick thinking—'YAAAAA! HIDDEN WANDS!'

Voldemort stopped the spell, staring at her. Adele breathed heavily, body curled in ache.

'Hidden wands?' he echoed questioningly. That was new.

'We hid our wands in our sleeves,' Adele gasped before losing consciousness.

He laid back in his armchair, satisfied that he got an answer out of her. He was right, after all. This Varens girl is the easiest – the weakest – of the five Marauders. Adele's form sprawled on the floor flickered.

Adele jolted, her fingers clutching the blankets tightly. She stared around her. The seventh year Gryffindors stared at her worriedly. Her pupils focused on the background. It was the Infirmary. Her friends waited for her to look at them.

'You okay?' Lily asked, looking up at Adele, her head on the bed.

'I think I've still got the bloody bruise…' Adele muttered, feeling the 'bump' from Voldemort's floor. From a Dark Lord, she expected more lavish furnishings.

'Bruise? You got your whole skull knocked on the ground, you ditz!' Sirius snapped.

'And several broken bones, too,' Remus added. 'What were you thinking?'

'How to counter Voldemort,' Adele said bluntly. 'I saw him just now. My body still hurts, from the crucio…'

'Wh…at?' Sita asked.

'He asked things about Loopy Village,' Adele muttered. 'Mad guy, I tell you. Believe such a stupid excuse of hidden wands under the sleeves…'

'What exactly _are_ you talking about?' Nina demanded. 'You choked Thomas and I, fell down to the pitch when Gryffindor won, and nearly DIED, for goodness's sake!'

'Must've knocked her memories off, too,' Dan sighed. 'Well, I'm glad you're okay. We thought you lapsed into what Lily called a "coma".'

'Seriously, you scare us!' Tally said honestly.

'Sorry…?' Adele offered.

'Yeah, apologize to your body PROPERLY. You're going to be here for a few more weeks, Adele Varens,' Pertsy said. 'You just get madder and madder. We told Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore that you were cursed by some random spirit, so you'd better cook up a tale about how you keep seeing caveman and whatnots. You'll do just fine with that.'

'Thanks.'

'We'll go get you some food,' Thomas offered, leaving with Dan, Tally, Nina, Pertsy and Sita.

'Thanks.' The door shut quietly after the retreating six. Adele turned to the Marauders.

'So… what happened?' James questioned, taking lead instinctively. 'Or do you want Lily to heal you first?'

'Lily, do your job,' Adele sighed.

'You all think me as your nurse or something,' Lily muttered, rolling her eyes. 'But Adele'd better stay in bed for a week first and claim it as fast recovery, or it'll seem too fake. You broke a whole lot of things, I'm surprised your internal organs weren't injured.'

'Adele had been putting on weight lately…' Sirius trailed innocently. 'So, the lesson is that we have to put on weight to save a lot of organs and bones, right? Adele?'

Adele glared at him as Remus fixed her bones' position so Lily could magic them in place.

'Ignore him. He's been putting on weight himself, so he wants to push the mystery of Remus's missing chocolate chips to someone else,' James waved.

'Aah. Chocolate chips,' Lily grinned, aware that she was the one who had taken them. 'Any left, Re? I could do with some, after Quidditch!'

'The culprit finished them,' Remus scowled.

**

Five eighteen year old teenagers sat uncomfortably under the gaze of four pairs of eyes, staring at the ground in forced interest. The Marauders daren't look up. Only silence had spoken since they had entered the room, with only Fawkes's occasional whisper of comfort, of which only James alone could understand.

Then the door opened.

'What is this, Albus, calling me at such short notice!' a man cried angrily, striding into the room. He glared notedly at Melissa Black, Yvonne and Edward Potter.

'Calm down,' Dumbledore said, waving the man's words away. 'Have a seat.'

James recognized him as Barty Crouch, one of the active members in the Magical Law Enforcement Department. He wondered vaguely why this guy was called when Crouch noticed the Marauders for the first time.

'Yo,' Sirius greeted casually.

Surprise filled his eyes to the brim; then fear took over, with shaky determination.

'You- you- you--!!!!!'

'Marauders,' Lily offered politely. Crouch began to spat nonsense in his fright.

'I think Cornelius would be here now,' Dumbledore mused. As if responding to Dumbledore's thoughts, the door opened again, revealing a faintly smiling bumbling man.

'Hello,' Cornelius Fudge greeted, raising his bowler's hat.

'You-Know-Who's—bloody _kids_ that destroy!—hell!—Loopy Village!—these _vermins!' Crouch sputtered senselessly, pointing at the Marauders. Adele began to sniff a little; Remus stared at the floor again, a look of dread veiling his calm features; Sirius was gulping and sweaty; Lily and James just frowned in displease._

'Ah.' Fudge turned to the Marauders uncertainly. 'Er. How do you do.'

'These are the Marauders,' Dumbledore introduced, 'as they would want you to call them.'

'MARAUDERS!' Crouch cried in disgust. 'Marauding the nights, murdering people!!!'

'We don't kill,' Lily said smoothly. 'We didn't, at least. Voldemort did.' The two members of the Ministry flinched. They decided to take her word for it. After all, she had that sort of air—the air of authority, leadership—around her.

'So. Why are we called, Albus?' Fudge asked, after a lengthy silence.

'Have a seat, please,' Dumbledore implored. 'This might take a long time.' He glanced at the Marauders shortly.

'Obviously,' Sirius muttered under his breath. 'Why else would we be called on a Sunday morning, a time when crows are still sleeping?' His friends sniggered at the remark.

Both Fudge and Crouch kept glancing at the Marauders, not daring to near them.

'We don't bite,' James said pleasantly. He didn't give them a chance to be relieved: 'We snap. You know, eat.'

'Ignore them,' Edward Potter sighed.

'Well, the Ministry wants to ask some questions, and I was told to contact the two of you,' Dumbledore said, getting to the point. 'These are the ones. James Potter'—James stood and bowed—'Lily Evans'—Lily bowed—'Sirius Black'—Sirius bowed—'Remus Lupin'—Remus bowed—'and Adele Varens'—Adele bowed.

'We know. We read the papers! Get on with it,' Crouch snapped impatiently.

'As you know, they killed a hundred—'

'We didn't kill! It was an _accident,' Adele interrupted._

'Moreover, Mr-Great-Dark-Lord had us in… in…' Sirius couldn't find a right word besides "out-of-control" and "ruled by a kid's mind—our subconscious mind".

'In _trance_,' Lily finished. 'Yep. Nice mecha he has. Very high-tech, very antique.'

'You mean controlled,' Yvonne Potter suggested.

'No, cause we went _out_ of—OW!! That _hurts_!' Sirius yelled. Remus looked away innocently. He had trodden on Sirius's foot.

'Trance,' the fair-headed boy confirmed. 'Can't do anything our mind asks us to, cause it's kind of… frozen, in a way.'

'Oh? Mr. Allan Rittardo said that you ended up saving the village,' Fudge said in a most business-like tone.

'Well, we woke out of it!' James said brightly. 'We're _that great, you know.'_

'Stop your ego's growth,' Yvonne muttered coldly.

'I was not! The moonlight woke us up!' James retorted truthfully. 'It got out from behind the clouds! I know exactly what I'm talking about, mum, thank you very much.'

'And what has the moonlight got to do with the trance?' Dumbledore asked in interest.

'It wakes us out of it! I said it already.'

'How?'

'Ask Lily. She did _that _research. Sorta. I do something else.'

'Er…' Lily knew she couldn't explain without revealing their inner magic to the public. And the Maggles, the connections and… and… well, EVERYTHING. It all risks the exposure of the few Mages.

Lily would bet her whole Gringotts bank account that these Ministry representatives are bound to expose whatever the Marauders had said to the public. They might even be sent to be experimented and when they die, their corpse might be preserved in some sort of museum for safe-keeping.

'I won't tell,' she said resolutely.

'Why not?' Crouch demanded impatiently. He hadn't had his morning coffee yet. He wanted at least a cup of tea to start his day, not meeting with five teenagers who has cold attitude, splendid academic results and a very stained name in Caretaker Filch's files.

'Why must I?' Lily said, echoing his tone, flashing her green eyes at him. It was most nerve-wrecking for the poor man.

'Very well. _Explain why are you with You-Know-Who.'_

'Don't know anyone with that name,' Lily snapped. This is trying her patience. And her mood isn't exactly good these past days.

'You very well know, Evans,' Crouch growled.

'I'm with you now ONLY because I was summoned here, happy???'

'Lily!' Yvonne said. Lily just turned away stubbornly.

'There goes your information providers,' Remus sighed, in relief. 'Lily and James both knew the whole situation best. Trust me, you'll have to admire their handwork. Oh well, too bad for you.'

'Only them?' Melissa groaned.

'Yeah. Our "leaders",' Adele declared proudly. 'Intelligence well beyond ours!'

'No! They're just a bit higher!' Sirius argued, not planning to admit it.

'Yeah, in your dreams Sirius.'

'Nope, it's reality.'

'Face it puppy, it's the _truth. HAH!'_

'Watch who you're calling puppy, china bear.'

'Alright, alright! That's enough already, kids!' Edward called.

'MARAUDERS!!!'

'Okay, okay…'

'GOOD.'

After things had settled down, the question-answer session went on.

'How did you destroy the village? Some villagers mentioned about chanting and singing,' Fudge asked, eager to end this so-called interrogation. These five are beginning to emit a most dangerous sense of impatience.

'That's we don't know. It's for style, I think,' Adele muttered sourly. She felt sick.

'Well, then, why did You-Know-Who took you? Why not someone else, like- like- like—' He fought to think of a high-achieving wizard. 'Like Dumbledore?'

'Obviously, we're the smartest most ingenious group around!' Sirius said irritably. 'He didn't want to be bettered by just 17 year old kiddies; _you_ won't want to. And he can't kill us off either, because we KNOW when he'll try and we'll avoid it! Call it an assassin's instinct. Murderer. Whatever.'

'Which was WHY he thought he'd try to get us to his side,' Remus said, looking intelligent, 'James could tell you more, actually, but… Ah, you know.' They glanced at James, who was conversing with Lily at a very high speed about some complex topic, goodness knows what. The two seemed to radiate anger.

'You know, I've got a suggestion. Maybe you could come over someday else,' Sirius said lazily. 'A day when we're happy, you're happy, we're all happy. It makes things much easier.'

'Yeah. We just got up, very cranky,' Remus added. 'And on James's case, mood swing.'

'Hey, I don't have mood swings!' James called.

'Bye bye!' Adele waved cheerfully, inviting them out before they could even grumble about the teenagers' manners. Still, they were quite happy to leave, since they – indeed – _were_ called over at an unearthly hour.

The Marauders sighed in relief.

'Well!' Dumbledore said finally.

'Pick a starting point,' James offered, knowing well that his parents and Dumbledore are armed with questions. Besides, he felt very much at ease now.

'Why were we sent to a **jungle???' Edward yelled.**

'It wasn't a jungle! It is our new home!' Sirius protested. 'With a built in artificial rainforest just outside the fences!'

'Yeah, sure. It took us a whole month to pinpoint our location,' Yvonne said dryly 'There wasn't an owl anyway and no way of communication. Even Floo Network was out when we tried to set a fireplace!'

'What is this about?' Dumbledore asked curiously.

'Er, see, we kind of teleported all our houses there,' Lily said sheepishly. 'See, we don't watt Voldemort to come and destroy our house; or let anyone take anything. So that's why James moved everything!'

'Yeah. Tiring,' Remus added, remembering the morning they spent working on that. 'We got pulled in with him. Can't risk getting lost.'

'Wait, please. What teleporting? You're not allowed to Apparate,' Dumbledore frowned. These five aren't those type of stubborn ones that insist on learning **_those_ types of magic, right? Right? … there's no telling. They might be. Dumbledore groaned inwardly.**

'It's all part of Blue Magic. I'm a Blue Mage. Lily's a Psychic, also a White Mage. Adele's a Black mage, Remus is a Red Mage and Sirius is a Yellow Mage,' James said.

There was a pause. 'And what are they, these… Mage thing?'

'We're users of the Inner Magic. Some texts refer it as Raw Magic,' Adele explained. 'I don't know how we come to possess it, though. You know the way we use our wands? Our magical abilities are flowed by the wand, right? That's why the wand is the one that chooses the wizard.'

'Ah. I have often wondered on that phrase,' Dumbledore smiles. 'Go on.'

'See, our magic's in us. I think it's in everyone, actually,' Adele said, thinking for an easy way of describing it. 'It's only that _certain_ people can conduct and respond to it. This inner magic business… I don't know who can conduct it, the specifications and blah. It reacts from **in** of us, just like out skin to our wands. So don't ask too much from us.'

'Really good Seers that can properly control their Inner Eye make Psychics,' Lily said. 'That's what my mum told me anyway. Psychics are White Mage, when properly trained. Healers. Blah. Everything that involves "giving" and "pure" and all those goody-two-shoes kinda stuff.' Lily floated into the air gracefully. 'This's one of it.'

'Mine is Black Magic. Black. Not Dark. There's  HUGE gap there,' Adele said, nodding firmly. 'It's all on the offensive side. Most are harmless though, when used in small doses.'

'Suits her, eh?' Remus smirked. Adele hit him. 'Ow!'

The rest of them laughed gaily.

'Black Mages are really special,' Lily beamed.

'For example, drinking her blood doubles your life span! By age,' Sirius said excitedly. 'It doesn't offers immortality though. We can dump her at a museum and receive loads of awards, just like that!'

'I was the one that destroyed the village, mostly,' Adele mumbled.

'Hey, _you_ were the one that chased Voldemort off! Else, we'd probably be hovering somewhere in his ugly house, in the goriest state imaginable!' James said comfortingly. 'Well, mine's Blue. It's kinda nice. Deflects Black Magic (how we saved those people), restores things, teleport, blahblahblah. Voldemort sent Shape-Shifter – two years ago – to spy and study us. It discovered that Remus and I have Blue and Red Magic, so it decided to teach us first, then ship us to Voldemort. Perished ('In the dumbest way imaginable' Lily said, rolling her eyes) before it got to send its report, though.' He demonstrated it by shrinking his size and popping back to normal.

'I'm Red,' Remus said slowly. 'Same principles, only I've got more to do with time and nature. Nothing much of a difference, I think.'

'Don't look at me! All _I_ know about mine is that it's lousy!' Sirius said when Dumbledore and his mother turned to him expectantly.

'Oh,' Melissa said flatly, quite disappointed.

'As for our looks,' Lily said, reading James's parents' thoughts, 'it just happens after our metamorphosis. Complicating thing; the Maggles don't exist now, right?'

'Ah. I forgot all about them, actually. You mean they're not here?' Edward asked in surprise.

'They're all _sayonara_-ed already. I told you, they were memories! They aren't even supposed to be around at all, since we as their reincarnation are here!' James nodded at himself. 'When Voldemort… kidnapped us, we were in a really bad state—from his spell, placed when he attacked, and our "real" selves trying to push away the past ones. Just a question of actions and personality, really, but you know us. We're really picky at things.' He shrugged. 'And no, you're not supposed to understand a thing that I'd said if you don't.'

'Voldemort attacked you?' Dumbledore frowned. It's time that Hogwarts castle have more modern spells added to protect it.

'They got their way, got out, and just as Voldemort's spell worked! Talk about bad timing!' Sirius sniffed daintily. 'Oh, yeah, he did. He's a sneaky one alright.'

'You don't seem any different,' Yvonne commented.

'Well, surprise, surprise! They're quite the same actually, only for a few emotional blitzes here and there, but that's easily fixed,' Adele grinned.

'So anyway, Maggles disappear,' Lily shrugged. 'I think they appeared because they thought we needed help being teenagers.' Lily rolled her eyes sky-ward. '"Oh look! There's our darling little Lily! Hey, your Psychic good enough yet? No!? When I was your age, I reached the highest stage…" blah blah blah!'

The Marauders all nodded in unified agreement.

'Anything else you want to ask?' Remus asked.

'Nope, they don't have anything else important. Hey, look! It's lunch time! We missed breakfast, people! We can't miss lunch!!!' Lily cried in mock horror. 'LET'S GOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, keep it all a secret.'

'Oh yes. Thanks,' Dumbledore said blankly. He blinked. The Marauders had left. 'Well, that answers a lot of funny happenings.'

'Sure. You wish. I have a feeling they hadn't explained everything yet. It must be the details. We still need to get our son to send us back,' Edward commented with a wry smile. 'Who would've thought that the place they pick for residence was a non-apparating zone??? And when did they buy the place anyway? Where'd the money come from???'

'You can catch them later,' Melissa promised.

'How did you get to Hogsmeade, then?' Dumbledore pondered outloud.

'Broomstick. But the brooms are mad now, and we're not confident in finding our way there!' Yvonne whined. 'It's a whole world of wilderness. I swear!'

'You can board here for the time being, until Easter break,' Melissa suggested. 'Is it possible, Professor?'

'Hm? Yes, why not? I believe that there's a free room somewhere in the East Wing.'

'Really? Thank goodness! Thank you so much!' Yvonne said happily. The three left the office, Melissa showing them their temporary room.

Dumbledore laid back in his chair, sighing in content of his new-found knowledge.

He wondered vaguely how the Marauders would react when they found out that Edward and Yvonne Potter would be living in the castle for two months.

Most possibly freak out. It's very Marauder-like.

_____________________________________________________________________________

AN: okay. I'm back. A writer once said that, to publish your work, the writer must have a huge ego. A REALLY huge one. Mine happened to be very flat the past months. Then last week, my friend happened to pass by FF.N, check if I'd updated, and yelled at me for not doing so… o.O anyway, I doubt you even care what happened to me… ^_^; anyway, just got MSWord, so thought I'd just do a quick type and send thing.

 Alright, I've got something to clear with **Card Mistress. I can't seem to remember what I'd written, but here's a little clear-up for any other memory-spasm-caused confusion: James is a Blue Mage. Remus is a Red Mage. My memory degrades at a very scary speed… o.O;;;**

  --blitz---- bunny chan


	8. Quidditch

**The Marauding Five : Year Seven**

**Chapter 8: Quidditch**

Upon discovering that James' parents are to live in the castle until Easter Break, meanwhile helping Hagrid and the other professors in organizing their workload, the Marauders did more than just freak out. Their reaction was, literally speaking, priceless.

They were cowering in their Hideout as long as they can, except for lessons (which is unavoidable). They had arranged for their meals to be brought personally to their Hideout which are, of course, specially personalized dishes every day. The house elves were only too happy to oblige to their wishes.

--

'James! We have to _practice!_' Jeremiah Jones yelled out, knocking at the seventh year's boys' dorm. 'POTTER?' Silence. 'CAPTAIN POTTER!'

'He's _not_ here! So stop shrieking like some lost banshee, will you?' Thomas said impatiently, slamming the door open with violent force. 'And there's no use asking us where he is; you can't get there, whichever place they choose to be in! We'd tried. And we're here longer than you.'

'But Quidditch…!'

'Trust me. He left a note saying you should practice the Wronski Feint,' Dan yawned. 'You've been slacking, eh? Bad, bad boy… no wonder James got fed up and went off.'

Jeremiah blushed furiously at that comment.

'No!' he exclaimed hotly.

'Yeah? He wrote here that "Jeremiah is a liar—ask him to do that Feint until he masters it; and that means he can do it whilst he's asleep!" Looks like he knew what you'd say already, Chase.' Thomas waved the small note James handed to him before he 'moved out' of the dorm.

'… I HATE JAMES POTTER!'

'We know,' Thomas sympathized. 'But a word of advice: go practice that Feint or you'll find some unpleasant curses tailing you.'

'Well, I WON'T!' Jeremiah declared sharply, his mind working with speed angrily. He sprouted whiskers from his cheeks.

'Ah,' the two seventh years noted worriedly. 'Good luck, then.' They watched in fascination when the fifth year grew feathers, furs and several… antennas. He was quite a new species when the transformation stopped. The Magical Creatures department would be most glad to study him and place him in the Magical Zoo, where loads of kids would be ogling at this odd new … thing.

'Apparently, our darling HeadBoy predicted this,' Dan observed, flipping the card over. 'It says here "Hope you enjoy being a new species, Jeremy. It's Sirius's latest invention. He said it would last for a week, but expect your human form in two weeks' time! MWAHAHAHAHA"' Dan coughed.

'Very… insightful of him,' Thomas said decidedly. 'We'd better send him to a place where no one would freak out at the sight of… a fly cross with a cat cross with a duck cross with… something else I don't know. Hey, is Sirius's potion contagious or something?'

'You can't be too sure,' Dan replied grimly, pulling out his wand. '_Mobiliarus corpus!_'

He swung his wand.

And turned into a bottle of grape wine. Thomas gulped. It seems that Sirius's potion reflects spells in a bad way. A very bad way.

He decided to leave things along, which was the smartest decision at the time.

Of course, there were a whole lot of shrieks and screams, but the worst was opening his dorm door two hours later to greet the sight of countless crossbred creatures and all sorts of dated grape wines.

It was most unnerving, Thomas shivered. Did James and Sirius intend to make cash with these?

_Dear Lily,_

_LILY! OUR HOUSE DISAPPEARED! WHAT HAPPENED? The villagers told me that our parents are killed by "they know who" it is! Is that true? What about James, Sirius, Remus and Adele? Adeline was simply SHOCKED!_

_Hey, you aren't dead, are you? Cause I'll be writing to pure ghosts… or knowing YOU, probably some stupid poltergeist._

_And our homes. Did they grow legs and walk off? Where am I going to stay? Adeline? Look, we're both nineteen and eighteen, and no BLOODY SANE orphanage is going to accept us. I come back from my vacation only to find our parents killed by some vast murderer and the house walked off. What a pleasant surprise. Where' the party, huh? Huh?_

_We're at London now (hellish trip), disguise our names and found a witch who let us use her owl. It ain't hard pretending to be a witch; these idiots don't even know the difference!_

_You'd better find us a place to stay. People seem to be looking for us, maybe to KILL us. I don't want to die yet, GET IT? I've still got a BOYFRIEND!_

_Petunia._

_(it's Tellia and Celia when you reply, OKAY? Or are you that stupid?)_

The Marauders stared at the letter intently, a smirk in their faces.

'Uh oh, we forgot about them,' Adele groaned. 'Let's go get them, James.'

'We can't leave school to send them here!' James frowned. 'Or to anywhere, for that matter! I mean, _face it_. It's not holiday, and we broke enough laws to end ourselves in Azkaban. It's just that Dumbledore's heard our side of the story and isn't going to turn us in. Also, we've got DADA later. You know how Melissa is like if we disappear in classes…'

'Mum'll practically KILL us,' Sirius nodded wisely.

'But the Ministry would want _them_,' Remus reasoned. 'Voldemort will hunt _them_, since he can't get us.'

'Ugh! This is such a mess!' Sirius cried, pacing. 'How are we going to get them out of London? There's practically a wizard at every corner! AND they're boarding with a witch! Of all places, why there!'

'Makes life harder for us,' Lily sighed. There was a pause. 'Maybe we can send them on a vacation, see!' she said brightly. 'Until our Easter break! Give them our Gringotts's key, pack 'em off to Gobi desert or something, keep them hidden until March. Make sense?'

The Marauders reviewed the idea thoughtfully.

'Quiz time: What place is hidden, wizard-free and you can live there without going insane for two months?' Sirius burst out animatedly. '_Think_, people! It's January! They've to hide till March!'

'Er…'

'Gobi desert?'

'The desert, Lily, doesn't hold much food. Or water. Or anything, for that matter, unless you count sand, head, sandstorms, more sand, more heat, more sandstorms, an occasional cactus and a lost camel,' Remus pointed out.

They nodded in muted agreement.

'Do you think that we can get Dumbledore to bring them here?' Adele voiced, feeling drained suddenly.

'Who's going to talk him into it? I mean, Headmaster of Hogwarts, visiting a house of some witch just to pick up two _squibs_?' Lily said shrilly. 'I don't think so! He won't do it! I tell you, he doesn't want his nice, clean reputation tainted to rescue squibs, would he now? Yes. And he probably wouldn't agree to it, either!' Lily paused dramatically. So her friends thought; Lily almost always does it. She was really taking a deep breath.

'Which is all the better reason to ask him!' the redhead declared happily. 'Let's _GO!_'

'Go where?' Edward Potter inquired curiously.

'ARGH! WE ARE DISCOVERED!'

It took a minute for the Marauders to snap back to their senses.

'I hate this! Why, why, _why_ must people keep barding in like this?' Lily wailed. 'James, I thought you put a spell on it!'

'Well yes, I did!' James retorted hotly. 'It was the best I could find!'

'Mighty great, isn't it,' Adele praised dryly.

'There was a hole in the spell,' Edward said cheerfully. 'Gets easy, you know, to have a handy needle around.' The man produced a needle. It shimmered, clearly indicating that it's a really rare Auror's item. 'Used it to _make_ the hole and tear it! Easy-peasy. You'll make a bad Auror, y'know, if you can't even place a proper barrier.'

'Gee dad, thanks a lot. Not.'

'Obviously, someone forgot to place charms, curses and hexes to stop invaders,' Sirius said, staring accusingly at James.

'_Lily _specialized in that.'

Lily looked up daftly. 'Really? Isn't it you?'

'It's you.'

And there wasn't much else to be said.

'You're alone,' Remus said, realizing that Sirius's mother and James's mother were absent from the scene.

'Girls can't get enough of gossip,' Edward said solemnly. 'They met a group of Ravenclaw.'

'Ah…'

'I don't gossip!' Lily snapped hotly.

'I did say girls,' Mr. Potter reminded. 'You're a _Marauder_, my dead daughter-in-law,' he added in a sickly sweet tone.

'DAUGHTER-IN-LAW?' Lily grimaced and flinched as though she had the itches.

'Oops, sorry, did I say that? I was too eager to have you as my family member,' the man said pleasantly, ignoring both Lily and James's glare.

'Rephrase: Too young,' James said curtly.

'Where's the _phrase_ from?' Sirius asked.

'My head. I was rephrasing it,' James said bluntly. 'So re-rephrase: Too, too young.'

'Not a big deal,' Edward said casually, 'I mean, in some parts of the world, kids marry as soon as—'

'We don't need to know this,' Lily muttered.

'Yes you do! Then you'll appreciate your marriage age more! As I was saying, as soon as the baby's out, they're immediately wedded!'

'We on the other hand, are betrothed. Someone save us,' Lily snapped.

'Scary,' James nodded.

'Yeah… poor us…'

'Disrupted society, this is. Should've left us all alone.'

'Exactly. Evilness.'

The two continued to lament on their luck on being betrothed (of which the conversation went all the way to human rights, to insane parents, to nosy peers, to the state of the world, to universal rights…), Edward turned to the table where Petunia's letter was left.

He was amused by the number of exclamation marks and capital letter Petunia could manage. He was then bemused at the fact that the houses had left a huge hole of a million questions.

'We can get Professor Dumbledore to bring them over, don't you think?' he asked, once he finished the letter.

Dot dot dot…

'Wow,' Adele exclaimed. 'That was amazing.'

'It took us 30 minutes to reach that decision,' Lily added.

'With lots of desert,' Remus smirked. 'Actually, with all desert and little conclusion.'

'Considerable,' Edward grinned weakly. 'You just think a little too much.'

'Gee, I wish we _thought _of that,' James said. 'So, you'll be talking to him about it, right dad? As soon as possible? We can't face Petunia's wrath in … _that_ state of her mind…'

'On one condition.'

'Which is…?'

'Beat those Slytherins FLAT in Quidditch!'

'That's a month later!' Adele said in shock and anger. Edward gave her a look which made her feel stupid.

'Well get practicing then! Those Slytherins can't win Gryffindors!'

'We're not just _defeating_ them. We're going to GET THAT QUIDDITCH CUP!' Sirius yelled patrioticly.

'Yeah, yeah. Get out and start flying then! Come on!' Lily said, grabbing the three boys.

Lord Voldemort hummed a tune as he polished his wand in the same chair near the fireplace. He was considering on the décor and maybe change the stupid red armchair. It was getting tiresomely bothersome to sit in the same thin cushion everyday. Hey, he _is_ the Great Dark Lord! He should have some gothic things around, say, skulls and dead bodies of his victims.

Hopefully, the five Marauders kneeling before him, looking pitiful and stupid. HAHA! But…

Time for another strategy.

Time for a new game.

Those irritating rules of the Knights, Rooks and Bishops! He liked the Queen and King—move wherever you please!

Oh well. Bloody chess. Why's he use it to start with? Should've started with, hm, plushies. But what's done is done. Ho-hum.

Voldemort wondered vaguely if it's possible to retreat all chess pieces to their original position without starting all over again. The obvious answer is no. The less obvious answer is yes, if you can convince the other player.

The problem was, the Dark Lord sighed, there's no other player. No style to cheating, then.

'Besides, those rascals can't be controlled!' he spat bitterly. 'Unlike chess pieces.'

So he tipped the chessboard over.

Time to follow the old devil ways. First he need to get some wax from the bees… learn how to make candles…

'I wish I didn't ask them to practice,' Jeremiah moaned feverishly, swooping around the Quidditch Pitch on his broom. That wasn't the first time he'd wished. It was close to the thirtieth time already. He was stiff from sitting so long on his broom; the cushioning charm seemed to sigh in tiredness, too.

He's been trying to do the Wronski Feint and avoid SIX deadly Bludgers James had just invented, for the sake of practice. The Chasers were scoring (or at least, trying to score) and Remus the Keeper had to work his broom off blocking every single one of them. Once of twice, Lily or James would just barely zip past him. Beathers are, of course, fending the Bludgers. Pattempt looked pale, Jeremiah noted in fear.

As for his Feint… ugh. _He_ felt like fainting!

'The _broom_!' James yelled. '45 degrees, at least! And if you can't gather speed enough, go in twirl! Y'know, turn round and round? AND PULL YOUR BROOM ONLY AT THE LAST SECOND! JEREMIAH CHASE!'

'Aye aye, capt'n…'

Man… how he regretted not treasuring Quidditch-free time.

'Yikes!' Amanda Witt yelped when a Bludger nearly collided with her.

'SIRIUS! PATTEMPT!' James yelled, purple in face. '_BAD_ Beaters you two make!' It was like talking to kids. Lily laughed animatedly.

'Hey, watch who you're calling bad, Jimmy!' Sirius snapped. 'Besides, there are _six bloody bludging Bludgers_!'

'Practice,' Lily sighed dramatically before allowing another string of laughter. 'Shoo! Watch out! There's another one coming!'

Thonk! It knocked on Sirius's broom sharply.

Jeremiah trembled. So much for the intensive training. And to think of a fortnight more of torture… it's worse that having to stuff fur down your throat.

Pattempt trudged after his twin sister towards the Great Hall.

'What's wrong with you? You've been acting like a half dead cat!' Pastilla commented. Pattempt stared at her helplessly.

'I've to carry this everywhere!' he whined pitifully, waving his Beater club. 'It's so embarrassing!'

'Put it down, then. I thought you looked mad, too, you know.'

'…yeah! You're right! Why not? I ought to NOT listen to Si—' THWACK!

'Don't think of it, kiddo!' Sirius called cheerfully, fending Pattempt from a Bludger. 'These mad things are loose in Gryffindor Tower, and wild as can be—going after you and me, of course. Good thing I saved your HEAD or you'll end up looking at stars the rest of your life in a pretty padded little white room.' He grinned broadly as he waved the club again. Another Bludger was sent hurtling past Nearly Headless Nick.

The Thore twins gasped in awe. Or in pity, for the ghost.

'Yup, it's all in the reflexes!' Sirius bragged. 'You'd better start picking those Bludgers. James'll flip if you can't fend one to save _yourself_; AND you're expected to save the whole tem.' Sirius skipped off, whistling.

He snickered to himself, when he's far away from the twins. Pattempt didn't know that all six programmed Bludgers will be heading for him, and him only. Ha! Serves him right for being such a lazy bum during practices!

Sirius cackled evilly. Then he stopped. Now, what to do with his psycho broom…

'Welcome to Quidditch Season, folks! This one's a hell-of-a-must-watch: GRYFFINDOR AAAAAAAAND SLYTHERIN! Here's your commentator of this game – happily volunteered – Solan _Trift_!—ouch!'

'Wrong! It's Solan Trift and Adele Varens. I'm here to make sure he doesn't take sides.' The latter glared.

'Get lost Varens!'

'Hah! Tell Minnie that!'

'But- but I'm the commentator of this game! You're _not_ taking that from me! Oh no, no way!'

'Well _I'm_ the commentator for your imbalanced favouritism, Trift, and it's gonna stay that way today! Anyway, this game'll decide who the Quid—'

'Gimme that microphone!' Solan Trift hissed. 'Ahem. This _fantabulous_ game will award the winning team the GREAT Quidditch Cup!' He turned to Adele smugly. 'It's _that_ way, Varens!'

'Oh yeah? You mean using big bombastic words? I'm sure Sirius can beat you at that!' Adele snarled. 'Besides,' she said, calming down, 'I prefer facts.'

Their eyes bore into each other's. Professor McGonagall, the referee of the match, sighed, just as the team players assembled. Little was said about the two teams, and before any wizard could catch what Trift was saying about the Slytherin Seeker, McGonagall had already blew the whistle and tossed the Quaffle into the sky.

Fourteen players swooped swiftly to their positions as the Chasers began the deadly fight for a red ball.

'Don't try dirty tricks,' Lily hissed to Lucius Malfoy. She had her hair up in a bun, so that NOTHING would happen to it.

'Oh yeah? Let's see who wins!' Malfoy smirked.

'—GIVE ME THE MICROPHONE, VARENS!—'

'—And Malfoy bangs into Evans sharply—'

'—_ADELE VARENS! I'm the commentator!_—'

'—Keeper Lupin of Gryffindor hurls the Quaffle off! Good save, Re! Must've been the practice—'

'**_VARENS_**!'

'—heard that Potter gave an intensive last minute training—'

'Torture is the right word,' Jeremiah muttered nearly, scouting for the Snitch none too happily.

'VARENS, I'm going to call Professor McGonagall!' Solan Trift yelled in the microphone. For a while, silence reigned in the commentator's box.

'She's there.' Adele's voice echoed faintly around the pitch.

'Grr! #/()$&&!'

'What was that you saying? Anyway, back to the game! Chaser Klop of Slytherin zooms off with the Quaffle! Uh-oh, looks like that shrimp of Beater at Gryffindor's _FINALLY_ lost it… he's going to wham the Snake off! He's gonna…!'

'THAT'S THE SNITCH! HE'S GONNA WHAM THE _SNITCH_!' Trift yelled.

'Hey, watch my ear!'

'Give it to me!' he snapped, snatching the microphone from Adele. 'Beater Thore… whams the Bludger towards Klop?'

'I _told_ you, you were wrong!' Adele scowled.

'Well look who's talking,' Trift retorted sharply.

'I am, that's who! You be a good kid and stay away from me while I tell the school what's happening.'

'I'm _the_ commentator…!'

'A terrible one at that.'

'VARENS!'

'Shut up, or I'll curse you!' Adele threatened.

'Oh yeah?'

'YES!' she yelled in exasperation. 'You're facing someone who killed half of Loopy Village,' Adele hissed, keeping the microphone away. 'Think again, Solan Trift, before you mess with me.' Trift dared himself to look at her in the eye.

'You can't kill me,' he said, somewhat shakily.

'Do you want to try?'

A second was all the black mage gave. 'I'm asking you, do you WANT to try?' Adele hissed again. The Ravenclaw boy felt cold.

'HEY! Where's the commentating? You're both slacking out there!' the wizards were yelling, when he came to grips with his senses. He withered intensively as Adele's violet eyes lingered on him for a moment. Her eyes were those total freak-out items that'll sell at muggle markets during Hallowe'en for really high price.

Adele scanned the pitch and gathered what she could with little effort. She felt slightly guilty about threatening Trift though… But first things first.

'Sorry! Technical problems!' Adele called out distractedly. 'In that time, Slytherin had scored! It's now 60-40 in favour to the Slytherin house!' The Slytherins whooped and jumped in joy.

'Oh look! Seeker Chase is diving! Has he seen the snitch?' Adele cried excitedly, pulling herself onto the table to get a closer look. 'If Chase gets the snitch, Gryffindor'll win the game! Ah, Seeker Pickle of Slytherin dives after Chase! The snitch is so popular, don't y'all agree? Chase picks up his speed! Atta it, Jeremiah!—HANG ON FOLKS, LOOK OVER THERE! Beater McKeat of Slytherin is swinging that club! He's swinging it- swinging it…!'

Many wondered at Varens's sight, as the Slytherin Beater was at the other end of the field.

Adele's feet was dancing on the table, violently zapping the decorative banners in the way of her sight. Solan Trift was desperately trying to get her down and do the commentating instead. Still, she _was _the hysterical type, when it comes to Quidditch…

'AAAAAAHHH! McKeat's Bludger is heading towards Chase! It's gonna knock him off his broom! HE IS GOING TO KNOCK JEREMIAH OFF HIS BROOM!'

'Give me that, you pathetic!' JEREMIAH CHASE, MOVE OFF!' Trift snapped into the mic. 'Oh no, he's too fast!' Adele fought for the possession of the microphone.

'Chase pulls off! Just before colliding the ground! Woohoo! James, you did a bloody good training with them! Go Prongs! THE WRONSKI FEINT (at least, that is what it seems to me… right Trift?)!' Adele shrieked ecstatically. 'But Pickle dove right on and… ouch! That must've hurt! Well, well, McKeat, what will _captain_ Pickle say about that?' Adele cackled. There was a hesitation before she chattered on, though: 'Uh, Pickle, you okay?'

'Who cares,' Trift muttered. Adele elbowed him.

'Maybe Chase demo the Feint because Potter pushed him to it,' Adele added, 'and thought "I might as wekk make use of it!"' she said brightly.

'I'VE GOT THE SNITCH!' Jeremiah yelled hoarsely at her. Adele and Trift blinked.

'…ah, yes? You broke your wrist?'

'GOT THE _SNITCH_!' the Gryffindor seeker panted, beaming.

'Um, does the wronski feint involves catching the snitch?' Trift asked uncertainly, the corners of his mouth twitching.

'I don't… know,' Adele added, blinking.

'… err, the points were 60-40 in favour of Slytherin, right?'

'Yup.'

Both were still stunned and blank. Things had gone too fast for them, apparently. The audiences were yelling for the game progress.

'Well? Have you reached the end of your thoughts your royal majesties?' Jeremiah asked impatiently, left hand clutching the golden thing. 'I… Caught… The… Snitch…!'

'Oh, um. Gryffindor wins the Quidditch cup!' Adele jolted.

'C'mon, we need more than just a simple sentence!' James scowled, though it was hard to sustain it. He was all beams and grins with sunshines, rainbows and all things pretty dawning on his face. 'Give me that speaker!'

'It's a mic,' Lily said brightly. 'Hogwarts's into tech!'

'Ahem. HOGWARTS, GRYFFINDOR WIND THIS MATCH!—psst, what's the score? Oh? Good… thanks!—IT'S A 190-60! SEEKER CHASE HAD, IN THE MIDST OF HIS ATTEMPT ON THE WRONSKI FEINT, CAUGHT THE SNITCH!' James yelled. 'Hey Minnie! We won, Minnie! Come on, blow that whistle! We _win _this match! We win the cup!'

_PWEET! _End of game!

'Yeah! I was almost gonna knock the ground when- when I saw the golden snitch above my head!' Jeremiah cried excitedly, 'so I pulled up and BAM! Caught it! I tell you, I was—'

'WE GOT THE CUP! WOOHOO! THE **_CUP_**!' Sirius screamed, choking Pattempt.

'Yesh…' the boy coughed.

'Wheee!' Amanda shrieked, flying down to congratulate Jeremiah on his catch. 'We win! We win!'

'Captain…? Captain, you okay?' McKeat muttered. Pickle gained his senses after two minutes.

'Brilliant work, kid, if only it didn't hit me,' he hissed, dusting himself with all the dignity he could muster. Then he caught sight of the Gryffindors carrying the Quidditch cup. He gritted his teeth.

Lucius Malfoy narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. He's going to make them pay for it.

* * *

AN: I shamelessly picked this job back up. I vowed many years back that I would do something long, and I'd complete it. This script was originally written in year 2003, but I was too scared to post it up, since I didn't know what I wanted to do, if this was the development I really wanted, and geez, the Marauders were beginning to quiet down. I wonder if people still read this? 

Was I actually missed, or was I hated? I suppose those are questions I never will know answers to… reviews can be such amazing things, I think. They can motivate an author, and they can crush them. I was crushed, because i just wasn't prepared.

Much apologies. I will continue writing until I fulfill my vow. Aren't you all just glad that this is actually going to end! gets pelted with rotten tomatoes >. ;;

- _bunny chan_


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